ON Saturday (February 24) just after 2 p.m., officers of the Upper Fraser Valley Regional Detachment RCMP (UFVRD) were dispatched to a report of a parental abduction. A father having a supervised visit with his child attempted to flee the area of Vedder Road and Well Road on foot with the child.

Police quickly located the male and child. When the male resisted the officers’ attempts to take him into custody, an officer used a Conducted Energy Weapon (CEW) to affect the arrest. Soon after being arrested the male suffered a medical emergency. Officers began and continued resuscitation efforts until ambulance personnel arrived and assumed resuscitation efforts. The male was transported to a local area hospital but was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

The child was physically unharmed and reunited with its mother at the scene.

The Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia was contacted by police and it is now investigating to see if there is any link between police action and the male’s death.

Anyone who witnessed this incident is asked to contact the IIO BC at 1-855-446-8477.

For more information about the IIO BC and media updates, visit their website at www.iiobc.ca