B.C.'s police watchdog called to fatal police shooting at Abbotsford hospital
IIO says man suffered gunshot wound and received immediate treatment, but was pronounced dead
British Columbia's police watchdog says it is investigating a fatal shooting involving police and a man at Abbotsford Regional Hospital Thursday afternoon.
The man involved in the "serious incident" was a patient at the hospital, according to a Friday afternoon statement from Fraser Health.
The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. (IIO) says the Abbotsford Police Department responded to a man with a weapon at the Abbotsford hospital at around 3:45 p.m. Thursday.
In a statement, Abbotsford police said its officers responded to reports of an armed man threatening medical staff.
"When police arrived, there was an interaction between the man and police, and an officer discharged their firearm," reads an IIO statement.
It went on to say the man suffered a gunshot wound and received immediate treatment, but was pronounced dead.
The IIO says it was notified of the death shortly after it occurred and is looking to confirm details about what took place.
The IIO is a civilian-led police oversight agency that conducts investigations into incidents of serious harm or death that may be the consequence of police actions or inactions.
'Robust' anti-violence strategies in place: health authority
On Friday, a spokesperson for Fraser Health declined to comment on the circumstances of the incident, citing the active investigation, but said "the safety and well-being of our staff, medical staff and patients is our primary concern."
"This is a difficult situation for those involved and we are providing support to our staff and medical staff during this challenging time, including counselling and support services to those who may need assistance," the spokesperson wrote in an emailed statement to CBC News.
"We are grateful to our staff and medical staff for their ongoing professionalism and dedication to caring for our patients, particularly when distressing events like this occur."
The health authority has "robust violence prevention measures in place," it said in the statement, including training staff to de-escalate and minimize threats and integrated security at all sites.
Fraser Health has also recently finished hiring 119 relational security officers at eight sites, including Abbotsford Regional Hospital, as part of an initiative announced by the provincial government in 2022.