British Columbia’s police watchdog is investigating after a man was struck and killed while allegedly trying to evade a traffic stop in Surrey, according to authorities. Officers were conducting the stop in the 15600 block of 56 Avenue shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday, when the driver fled the scene on foot, according to news releases from the Surrey Police Service and the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. The man was struck by an eastbound vehicle and died at the scene, the authorities said. The IIO says it was notified of the collision a short time later and opened an investigation. The office, which investigates all police-related incidents that result in serious harm or death in B.C., whether or not there is any allegation of police wrongdoing, is now seeking witnesses to the incident. “As this incident is now under investigation by the IIO, no further information will be released by the Surrey Police Service,” the department said Friday. A spokesperson for B.C. Emergency Health Services told CTV News that paramedics were called to a report of a pedestrian struck at 11:06 p.m. “An ambulance with primary care paramedics, an ambulance with advanced care paramedics and a paramedic supervisor attended the scene,” the agency said in an email. “Paramedics did not transport any patients to hospital.” The area was closed to traffic for several hours overnight as collision analysts and investigators with the IIO examined the scene. The eastbound lanes of 56 Avenue remained closed early Friday morning. Anyone with information or images related to the incident is asked to contact the police oversight agency by calling 1-855-446-8477 or visiting the iiobc.ca website.
