Police involved in two deaths Monday night

B. C.’ s independent watchdog investigating

Two teams from B. C.’ s new independent police watchdog are investigating separate police- involved deaths, this time in Vancouver and Langley.

Within three hours on Monday, Vancouver police and the Langley RCMP called the Independent Investigations Office to take over fatalities involving officers.

Ten members of the IIO are now investigating a fatal shooting involving a Vancouver officer confronted by a knife- wielding man in the northeast part of the city.

Police spokesman Randy Fincham confirmed Vancouver police were called to the 400block of Skeena Street, near Hastings just east of Highway 1, after a 911 caller reported windows being smashed around 8: 15 p. m.

“When the first officer arrived he was confronted by a man who was holding a knife,” Fincham said. “The man was subsequently shot by police.”

He was taken to hospital but died.

The Independent Investigations Office was notified at 9: 05 p. m. and deployed to the scene, said head spokeswoman Kellie Kilpatrick.

Police later cordoned off a crime scene in front of a McDonald’s restaurant nearly a block away from where the IIO said the police call first came in.

The IIO took possession of the officer’s gun as part of its investigation. It also conducted interviews with 18 witnesses and notified the man’s next of kin.

Meanwhile, IIO investigators were also on scene in Langley at the intersection of 16th Avenue and 240th Street. Around 5: 30 p. m. a suspect fled a police speed check in the 24000- block of 0 Avenue and just three minutes later ended up crashing into two other cars, killing a male driver.

The suspect, who ran from the scene, was arrested and the driver of another vehicle was uninjured, according to an IIO news release.

The IIO is an independent government agency operating under the Ministry of Justice in B. C. The IIO, which opened its doors on Sept. 10, is responsible for conducting independent investigations into incidents of serious harm or death to citizens that involve the police.