Police watchdog investigating Lake Country RCMP after man taken to hospital following incident

B.C.'s police watchdog is investigating a Lake Country police incident after one person was taken to hospital after harming themselves this week.

"On June 3, shortly after 1 a.m., Lake Country RCMP received a 9-1-1 emergency call from a woman who was concerned for the health and well-being of a close family member who lived in the Lake Country area. The complainant was growing increasingly concerned as she was no longer able to contact her family member and she provided information indicating his immediate safety was at risk," according to the RCMP in a news release.

Police officers managed to locate and gain entry into the man’s home and once inside, the man responded verbally to police, according to the RCMP.

"The man was located inside a bathroom in possession of an edged weapon. Despite the officer’s efforts to de-escalate the situation, the man harmed himself," according to the news release.

The officers called in B.C. Emergency Health Services which had been staged nearby and took steps to provide first aid to the man awaiting their arrival. The man was rushed to the hospital.

The Independent Investigations Office of BC is investigating to determine whether police actions or inactions are linked to the man’s injuries, according to the release.

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