Mounties cleared of wrongdoing in suspect's fall from Burnaby balcony
Credit to Author: Harrison Mooney| Date: Fri, 25 Oct 2019 21:23:58 +0000
B.C.’s oversight agency has cleared Mounties of any wrongdoing following an investigation into the raid of a Metrotown apartment that resulted in a man falling from an 11th floor balcony.
The incident on July 4 on Sanders Street in Burnaby, triggered an investigation by the civilian Independent Investigations Office of B.C., who investigates all officer-related incidents that result in serious harm or death.
Police said in July that they had reason to believe a kidnapping victim was being held inside an apartment on the building’s 11th floor.
When officers entered the residence around 10:30 p.m., three men tried to escape by climbing off the balcony. Two of the men were arrested without incident on lower floors, while another fell to the ground and suffered serious injuries.
None of the suspects have been identified by police.
The kidnapping victim was found inside the suite and was physically unharmed.
On Friday, the IIO reached a decision in the case, announcing that no officers will be charged, as the agency “does not consider that any police officer has committed an offence under any enactment.”
Tina Poole, who lives in a first-floor apartment, said she and other residents were alerted to the police action after hearing a small explosion come from inside one of the upper-floor apartments.
“It was a loud bang … It woke my mother up. We were told by police that it was a flash bang,” she said.
Poole said she saw one man being arrested outside the apartment building and another injured man being treated by an ambulance crew.
“Apparently he jumped from the balcony to try to get away from the police. He landed a few feet from my apartment … there are a lot of broken bushes outside the apartment now,” she said. “It just makes you wonder who your neighbours are and who they are letting rent here.”
with files from Scott Brown
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