A provincial police watchdog is investigating after a man was reportedly injured in the custody of Metro Vancouver Transit Police last week. The Independent Investigations Office said the incident unfolded shortly after midnight on July 31, when police responded to a complaint about a passenger on a SkyTrain heading east through New Westminster. “The man was reportedly harassing other passengers and in possession of a weapon,” the IIO said in a news release Friday. “Officers located the man, removed him from the train and arrested him. He was then taken to cells at the New Westminster Police Department.” The watchdog said paramedics were subsequently called to “assess the man’s condition” at around 1:30 a.m., and he was taken to hospital for treatment. No other details have been provided. The IIO is tasked with investigating all police-involved incidents that result in death or serious harm, regardless of whether there’s an allegation of wrongdoing against officers. Investigators asked anyone with information on what happened last Friday to contact the IIO witness line at 1-855-446-8477 or use the contact form on the watchdog’s website.
