VANCOUVER — British Columbia’s police watchdog has launched an investigation after Vancouver police said officers fatally shot a person while responding to an alleged home invasion involving a hostage.

The Independent Investigations Office says in a statement that Vancouver police were called late Monday to the 3600 block of Commercial Street in East Vancouver after reports of a man running through residents’ backyards.

The IIO statement says the man had then gained entry to one of the homes and took an “uninvolved man” hostage with a weapon.

Vancouver police describe the attack as a “violent” home invasion in their own statement, adding that the suspect was shot and killed at the scene after failed attempts to de-escalate the situation.

Police say the hostage was taken to hospital with injuries and has since been released, while no officers were injured.

The Independent Investigations Office says its investigation into the fatal shooting has started but provided no further information into the case.

The watchdog investigates matters of death or serious harm that may have been the result of the actions or inaction of police.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2026.