A man has died in the Vancouver Police Department jail cells after suffering an apparent medical emergency.
The Independent Investigations Office of BC is now investigating the July 16 death.
Police officers arrested the 49-year-old man on Wednesday around 4 a.m. and transported him to the VPD jail by 4:30 a.m. He was found unresponsive at 10 a.m.
The reson why the man was arrested has not been released.
An IIO spokesperson said paramedics were called and provided aid, and the man was transported to the hospital, where he died.
The IIO will investigate and work to determine if there has been an injury that meets the threshold of serious harm, as defined by the Police Act, or a death; and if there is a connection between the serious harm/death and police action or inaction.
Witnesses are being asked to contact the IIO at its toll-free witness line at 1-855-446-8477 or via the contact form on the iiobc.ca website.
