The Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) is looking for witnesses to an arrest in Nanaimo in April.
The office is investigating a case where a man sustained seemingly self-inflicted injuries while being arrested by Nanaimo RCMP.
According to a news release from the IIO, the arrest happened near 12:40 p.m. on April 20 near the man’s home in the Sherwood Forest area.
“There was an interaction between the man and police during the arrest and the man sustained an injury that appears to have been self-inflicted while being taken into custody,” the news release says. “He was taken to a hospital for treatment and has survived his injury.”
The IIO says it has confirmed the man’s injuries meet the threshold of serious harm defined by the Police Act — this is an injury that can result in death, impairment of mobility or a serious disfigurement.
The investigation will examine any connection between the injuries and police action or inaction.
The IIO is asking anyone who witnessed the arrest or who has video footage to contact them.
