Nova Scotia RCMP Strike Man with Vehicle, Killing Him (April 27, 2022)

Nova Scotia’s Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) is investigating after RCMP struck and killed a 22-year-old man with a police vehicle.

They report that RCMP officers in Antigonish County responded to a report regarding a man who was walking “possibly into traffic” on Highway 104 in Addington Forks at around 10:35 PM.

While conducting patrols of the area searching for the pedestrian, an RCMP officer struck the pedestrian with their police vehicle. The young man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Vancouver Police Shoot and Kill Man (April 27, 2022)

Vancouver police shot and killed a man in an apartment building near Commercial Drive and East 5th Avenue on the evening of April 27, 2022. It is reported that the victim was in his 40s.

Initial reports claim that Vancouver Police Department officers arrived at the building shortly after 8:30 PM. Witnesses report seeing at least a dozen police vehicles and hearing numerous shots around 10 PM. An ambulance was seen arriving at the site at around 11 PM. The area near Commercial Drive was reportedly blocked off for several hours.

Man Dies in Comox RCMP Custody in Courtenay (April 23-24, 2022)

The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC is investigating the death of a man in RCMP custody in Courtenay. They report that around 4:30 AM on April 23, 2022, police arrested a man for allegedly trespassing at a residence in the 3300-block of Kentwood Road.

The man was taken to Comox detachment and detained in a cell. At approximately 1:15 PM the same day, the man was found to be in medical distress. He was transported to hospital where he died on April 24.

Man Dies in Surrey RCMP Custody (April 16, 2022)

The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC is investigating a man’s death in RCMP custody in Surrey.

They report that police arrested a man on April 15, 2022, and detained him in Surrey RCMP cells. At around 2:35 PM the next day, the man was found unresponsive in his cell. He was pronounced dead there.

At least three people have been killed by police in Surrey in the last few weeks alone.

Man (22) Killed in Police Chase Near Drummond, NB (April 18, 2022)

A 22-year-old man was killed and another 22-year-old man injured in a police chase in northwestern New Brunswick on April 18, 2022.

It is reported that members of the Grand Falls police force attempted to stop a vehicle along the province’s Route 108. Minutes later the pursued vehicle crashed into a ditch near the community of Drummond, which is about five kilometers outside of Grand Falls.

Numerous people have been killed in Police chases in Canada. This is the third person killed in a police chase in a matter of days.

Two Killed in Police Chase Near St-Jérôme (April 17, 2022)

Two people were killed in a police chase on Highway 15 near St-Jérôme, Québec, in the early morning of April 17, 2022.

The Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI) reports that St-Jérôme police department officers attempted to intercept the driver of an allegedly stolen vehicle at around 1 AM.  The driver reportedly refused to stop and police engaed in a high speed pursuit on Highway 15.

During the chase, the pursued vehicle crashed into another vehicle and both caught on fire. The person driving the pursued vehicle was killed along with one of the three occupants of the other vehicle.

The BEI has assigned five investigators to examine the pursuit, crash, and deaths. The BEI is not an independent agency and the investigation will involve two reconstruction technicians from the Sûreté du Québec (SQ).

Police pursuits are a serious risk to the public. Numerous people have been killed in Police pursuits over the last few years in Canada.

Man Falls to His Death During Toronto Police Action (April 15, 2022)

A man fell to his death from the Leaside Bridge during a Toronto police action on April 15, 2022. The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) reports that at approximately 12:40 AM, two officers with the Toronto Police Service were deployed to the area of Millwood Road and Overlea Boulevard regarding a man sitting on the edge of the Leaside Bridge.

According to the SIU, the officers approached the man and attempted to grab the man when he stood. During this interaction the man fell to his death on the Don Valley Parkway below.

Numerous people have fallen to their deaths during interactions with police. Details of the police interaction with the victim have not been released publicly.

The SIU has assigned three investigators to examine this case. Six witness officers and one subject officer have been designated. It has not been explained exactly why the two officers deployed grew to seven officers.

Surrey RCMP Shoot and Kill Haida Elder Jimmie Johannesson (April 8, 2022)

RCMP shot and killed a man, later identified as Haida Elder Jimmie Johannesson, in the morning of April 8, 2022, in Surrey, British Columbia. The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) initially reported that at approximately 10:00 AM, RCMP were called to the 13200 block of 108 Avenue regarding a man who had “threatened to cause harm in a public place.”

Jimmie Johannesson was located inside a residence and police shot him. He was transported to hospital, where he died.

It has since been reported that police were called for a wellness check for a man who was said to be in crisis and “had threatened self-harm with a weapon in a public place.” RCMP and a mental health outreach team were dispatched to the man’s home. Later reports also say that members of the Lower Mainland Emergency Response Team were also at the scene.

No other details have been released publicly, including how police interacted with the victim before killing him. It has since been reported that he was shot in the arm, leg, and twice in the heart.

This is the second person shot and killed by the RCMP in Surrey in a week.

Police are not about health care. They must be kept out of calls about wellness or health. This includes joint operations where health care workers are embedded with police. Policing is violence and these engagements too often end with a person in crisis being harmed or killed.

Campbell River RCMP Kill Person (April 2, 2022)

The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) is investigating a fatal police action involving RCMP in Campbell River, British Columbia. Very few details have been released publicly and there are conflicting witness reports.

One witness who lives near the Park Road scene reports hearing yelling, followed by a shot, more yelling, and then a second shot. Another witness reports seeing  police interacting with a man “who appeared to be incoherent and out of it,” and was face-down on the ground with his arms handcuffed behind him. That witness claims police picked up the man and put him into the back of a police vehicle. The witness says after a passage of time an officer checking on the person shouted for assistance from the other officers. The witness says officers then began performing CPR on the person for an extended period of time. That witness did not report hearing shots.

RCMP Shoot and Kill Man in Surrey (April 1, 2022)

RCMP shot and killed a man in Surrey in the morning of April 1, 2022. The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC reports that police received several calls regarding a man alleged to be involved in several incidents, including a carjacking. RCMP reportedly spotted a man near the intersection of 142A Street and 87A Avenue who they believed to be the person involved in one of the earlier matters.

A bit after 7 AM, RCMP claim officers engaged in a foot pursuit of a man they believed matched the description of the person seen near 142A Street and 87A Avenue.

At some point during this engagement there was unspecified “altercation,” and police shot the man. He was transported to hospital and pronounced dead there.

None of the police claims have been confirmed publicly.