Watchdog called after police say man fell from balcony while trying to escape

BURNABY, B.C. – The police watchdog has been called in to investigate a man's fall after RCMP say he tried to escape from an 11th floor balcony of an apartment building in Burnaby, B.C.

Burnaby RCMP say they notified the Independent Investigations Office after the incident where the man was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Police say in a news release that Mounties and members of the Integrated Emergency Response Team went to a residence where they believed the victim of a kidnapping was being held.

When police entered the home, they say three men tried to escape over the balcony of the 11th-floor apartment.

Two men were arrested without incident on lower floors, but one man fell to the ground and suffered serious injuries.

Acting Commanding Officer Eric Stubbs says it was a complex and time-sensitive investigation and he's grateful that the victim was located.

The RCMP will investigate the alleged kidnapping, while it says the investigations office will determine if the police actions or inactions are linked to the man's injuries.

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Sean Mott

After spending most of his life on the East Coast and earning a Bachelor of Journalism (Honours) degree from the University of King's in Halifax, Sean Mott decided to strike out west to start his reporting career in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. He recently moved to Lake Country and he covers everything from crime to local art to everyday absurdities in Kelowna.