B.C. watchdog withdraws court petition

VANCOUVER — B.C.’s police watchdog has withdrawn a court petition that sought to force a police officer to provide it evidence in the death of Myles Gray in Burnaby after a confrontation with police three years ago.

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. said the officer has now been interviewed, and so the court petition has been withdrawn.

“I am pleased that we were able to find a way of resolving this matter,” said Ron MacDonald, the IIO’s chief civilian director. “I am confident this resolution will avoid unnecessary delay while maintaining the integrity of our investigation.”

In October, the IIO filed a petition that listed injuries sustained by Gray in the 2015 confrontation with police. The 33-year-old had a fractured voice box, a broken nose, a dislocated jaw, a fractured right orbital eye socket and a fractured rib, among other injuries.

A cause of death has not been determined.

Gray died Aug. 13, 2015, in the backyard of a house in Burnaby.

He had been pursued there from Southeast Marine Drive in Vancouver by as many as six police officers, following a complaint of a “distraught man causing a disturbance,” according to a statement from Vancouver police.

Attempts to arrest him resulted in Gray becoming “agitated.” More officers were called, pepper spray was used and, eventually, a “physical” confrontation broke out.