Police vehicle hits man in Vancouver, prompting watchdog investigation

VANCOUVER — British Columbia’s watchdog agency is looking for witnesses after a police vehicle hit a man lying on the ground in Vancouver last month, leaving him with serious injuries.

The Independent Investigations Office says in a statement that the crash occurred on July 11, when an officer from the Vancouver Police Department was driving a marked police cruiser through a laneway in the city’s Downtown Eastside.

The statement says the police car then struck a man who was lying on the ground at the time, although no other details about the circumstances surrounding the crash were released.

The IIO says the officer stopped and called for help, and the injured man was taken to hospital where his injuries appeared at first to not be serious.

Then, a public member notified the IIO on Aug. 4 that the man’s injuries may be more severe than initially thought, prompting the agency to launch an investigation.

The IIO is appealing for witnesses in the case who have information to contact them.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 26, 2026.