Man dies in Vancouver jail hours after arrest
The Independent Investigations Office is investigating after a man was pronounced dead less than 24 hours after being arrested by VPD and placed in custody.
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A man arrested by Vancouver Police on June 14 around 3 p.m. was found unresponsive in a Vancouver jail cell the next morning and pronounced dead at the scene.
Jail staff discovered him unconscious at approximately 8 a.m. on June 15. Medical personnel attempted to provide aid but were unable to revive him.
The Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia (IIO) is now investigating the death. The watchdog agency will examine whether an injury meeting the threshold of serious harm occurred, and whether there was a connection between the death and an officer's action or inaction. "If both conditions are met, the investigation will continue to examine all available evidence to determine what occurred," the IIO said. "At the conclusion of the investigation, the chief civilian director will consider whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that an offence may have occurred."
VPD notified the IIO about the incident and is cooperating with the investigation.