Police watchdog seeking public witnesses to Penticton incident involving police

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. is seeking witnesses to an incident involving Penticton RCMP.

The office says in a release issued today, Aug 20, police responded to a call for assistance to a residence in the 900 block of Burnaby Avenue around 8 p.m. on July 30.

They spoke to an elderly woman who had been observed outside her home by bystanders who were concerned for her well-being, and called police.

Police found her and spoke to her before leaving again. The woman was found dead in her residence the following day, July 31, around 11 a.m.

The Independent Investigations Office is investigating to determine what role police action or inaction might have played in the incident.

The B.C. Coroners Office is also conducting an investigation to determine how, where, when and by what means the woman came to her death.

Anyone who saw, heard, or recorded the incident note above is asked to call the IIO witness line, toll free at 1-855-446-8477, or via contact form on the iiobc.ca website.

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