B.C.’s police watchdog is investigating a man’s death for the second time after he was discharged from a Vancouver hospital and died shortly after.
On May 17, 2022, a man refused to leave St. Paul’s Hospital even though he had been recently discharged. Hospital security escorted him away from the hospital property.
"A short time later, the man suffered self-inflicted injuries, and police already at the hospital regarding an unrelated matter were called and administered medical assistance until ambulance and fire services arrived,” states a report from the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of British Columbia.
The man died days later on May 28. IIO is not releasing where or how the man died.
The IIO was notified on June 2, 2022 and launched an investigation, which concluded the next day on June 3, 2022.
According to a statement from the IIO on Wednesday, the investigation was concluded based on information available at the time. The case on the IIO’s website reads "closed - without public report."
IIO received new information on Oct. 31, 2023 from the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner and a new investigation was launched.
"Initial investigative steps will seek to confirm if there is any connection between police action or inaction and the man’s death,” says a spokesperson.
Anyone with information relevant to this incident is asked to contact the witness line at 1-855-446-8477 or submit a form on the IIO website.
