Chilliwack RCMP locate deceased male near Keith Wilson Bridge
CHILLIWACK — Chilliwack RCMP have located a body Sunday afternoon near the Keith Wilson Bridge.
According to Staff Sgt. Grant Floris of the Upper Fraser Valley Regional Detachment, police located a deceased male Sunday afternoon (Dec. 10) southwest of Greendale.
Police were called to an area on the east side of the Keith Wilson Bridge for a suspicious black SUV and later discovered the man’s body. After police investigated, they determined that criminality is not suspected at this point, according to Staff Sgt. Floris, who advised Fraser Valley Today over the phone Sunday afternoon that there doesn’t appear to be any signs of a crime, bodily wounds, gunshots wounds, or anything of that nature.
The next of kin have not yet been notified, Staff Sgt. Floris indicated in a second follow-up phone call initiated by Fraser Valley Today. He characterized the event as a sudden death. In the case of sudden deaths that do not involve criminality, news releases are not typical or common, Staff Sgt. Floris said, adding that there would likely not be any additional information released.
Fraser Valley Today spoke briefly with a male cyclist traveling northbound in the pouring rain along the dyke adjacent to the Vedder Canal. The cyclist advised there were at least three RCMP vehicles on scene responding to the area just south of the Keith Wilson bridge. The dyke had apparently been blocked for some time but later reopened at approximately 4:13 p.m. An RCMP cruiser was still on scene on the east side of the Vedder Bridge at 4:10 p.m. Sunday.
According to social media posts, the area in question had yellow police tape blocking access to the area for pedestrians or cyclists while police were on scene. One person driving through the area reportedly saw a body underneath a tarp.
It’s the second incident in less than a week where police have been called to investigate an incident. Chilliwack RCMP Acting Sgt. Carmen Kiener reported earlier this week that the Serious Crimes Unit is investigating after a man died following some kind of medical distress in downtown Chilliwack.
According to a statement from A/Sgt. Kiener, Chilliwack RCMP responded to a report of a male in medical distress near the corner of Yale Road and Spadina on Monday night, December 4 at 9:57 p.m. The male was brought to the hospital and pronounced deceased.
The Chilliwack RCMP’s Serious Crime Unit is investigating the incident and asking the public to come forward if they have any information or happened to be in the area last night between 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. A/Sgt. Kiener says she’s hoping anyone can provide information about the male prior to his death.
The male is described as Caucasian, 60-70 years of age, with long grey hair and a grey beard, and was wearing a black and grey jacket with black pants.