Mounties cleared of wrongdoing in Nanaimo man's death

Investigators from B.C.'s Independent Investigations Office are seen in this file photo from the IIO.

British Columbia's police watchdog has cleared the RCMP of any wrongdoing in the death of a man in Nanaimo, B.C., last month.

Mounties were called to a home on Brackenwood Place before noon on April 2 after a man reported he was concerned for his own well-being, the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. said in a statement Thursday.

When officers arrived, the man was getting into a vehicle driven by someone else and heading to the hospital, the IIO said.

Investigators say independent witnesses also confirmed the man left home for the hospital and had no further contact with police.

The man was found dead of apparent self-inflicted injuries the following day, the IIO said.

"The chief civilian director has reviewed the evidence, including medical records and civilian witness statements, and determined that the actions of the officer were appropriate and did not contribute to the man’s tragic death," the IIO said in its statement.

While the IIO's investigation is now concluded, the agency says the B.C. Coroners Service is still conducting its own examination of the man's death.

The IIO investigates all police-related incidents in B.C. that result in serious harm or death, whether or not there is an allegation of wrongdoing.