Man in critical condition after police deploy stun gun, watchdog investigating

SICAMOUS, B.C. – British Columbia’s police watchdog is investigating after RCMP officers used a stun gun on a man who then went into medical distress in Sicamous.

The Independent Investigations Office will determine whether police actions or inactions are linked to the injuries of the 38-year-old man, who the RCMP say was listed as being in critical condition in hospital.

The RCMP say in a news release that officers responded to reports of an erratic driver whose vehicle was straying from its lane in the early hours of Monday morning, but when officers tried to stop it, the vehicle allegedly fled and narrowly missed hitting a police officer.

They say officers stopped the vehicle south of Sicamous but the vehicle fled again before officers spoke to the driver.

The RCMP say officers successfully stopped the vehicle 20 kilometres northeast of Sicamous in Malakwa, but they allege the driver resisted arrest.

They say officers deployed a stun gun and handcuffed the man, who then went into medical distress.

The Independent Investigations Office is a civilian agency that probes all cases of police-involved injury or death to determine if police actions or inactions may have been a factor.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 29, 2019.