IIO to investigate Abbotsford PD arrest after man allegedly threatened people

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ABBOTSFORD — The independent civilian watchdog agency in British Columbia that probes police activity has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the arrest of a man last weekend in Abbotsford.

According to a statement Wednesday (Sept. 25), the Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) will examine the actions of the Abbotsford Police Department after a man was arrested Saturday, September 21, 2024. The IIO says information provided by the Abbotsford PD states that officers responded to a unit in a residential building on Riverside Road for a report of a man who was allegedly threatening people and damaging property. After police arrived, the man locked himself inside.

The IIO says officers attempted to get the man to exit the unit but were unsuccessful. They later observed a fire inside and used force to enter the dwelling. An interaction ensued and officers used less-lethal force. The man was apprehended and detained under the Mental Health Act and transported to hospital where it was determined he had suffered injuries.

The IIO has launched an investigation with the goal of determining the extent of the man’s injuries and whether they meet the threshold of serious harm as defined in Part 11 of the Police Act.

The IIO is tasked with investigating all officer-related incidents that result in serious harm or death, whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing.