In a media release, police said they were deployed to reports of a “person acting erratically” near East Hastings Street and Dunlevy Avenue around 8 a.m.
Read more: Man dies after being shot by police in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside
“After an interaction with police, the man was taken into custody. He then suffered a medical problem and lost consciousness,” the police said. “Despite lifesaving efforts, the man died at the scene.” 0:50 Police-involved shooting at intersection of Vancouver, Columbia and East Hastings, IIO says Police-involved shooting at intersection of Vancouver, Columbia and East Hastings, IIO says – July 30, 2022 Read more: Vancouver police arrest 4 after guns found at Hastings Street encampment scene Story continues below ad Vancouver police spokesman Sgt. Steve Addison declined to provide additional details about the incident, deferring to the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) investigation. “We have to trust the IIO process and the IIO investigation to independently look at all the facts and come to some conclusions,” he said. Witnesses told Global News the man had been bear-sprayed and was screaming in pain and trying to pour milk on himself when police arrived and hit him multiple times with a bean bag gun. The advocacy group The Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users claimed the man was “killed by spilled milk” and said it is conducting its own “community investigation” into the death. The IIO, which investigates all serious injuries or deaths following interactions with police, is asking anyone with information about the incident to contact the toll-free witness line at 1-855-446-8477 or via the contact form at iiobc.ca. © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
