Man dies downtown hours after release from Kelowna RCMP custody

KELOWNA – The provincial police watchdog is looking into a death in downtown Kelowna this week.

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. confirms they have been notified by Kelowna RCMP that a man died while in the presence of police the afternoon of Oct. 5.

Marten Youssef says the man, who is in his 40s according to B.C. Coroners Service, had been released from custody hours before he was found in medical distress near the Queensway bus loop.

“Any time police are on the scene and someone dies they have to notify us and we investigate to determine if there is a connection between the actions of the officers and the fatality,” he says.

The IIO receives hundreds of these types of notifications every year, Youssef says roughly one-quarter result in investigation.

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