The death of a missing man whose body was found in B.C.’s East Kootenays over the summer is being investigated by a provincial police watchdog. The Independent Investigations Office said a bystander found the man unresponsive in the Elk River, near the community of Fernie, on July 11. The deceased—who has not been publicly identified—had been reported missing the previous month, on June 20. In a news release, the IIO said it was notified about the man’s death by the B.C. Coroners Service, and later confirmed he’d had “a previous interaction with police prior to being found deceased.” “The IIO began an investigation at that point, which remains ongoing,” the watchdog added. The IIO is tasked with reviewing all police-involved incidents that result in death or serious harm, regardless of whether there’s an allegation of wrongdoing against law enforcement. Investigations only proceed if the watchdog determines there could be a connection between the harm and the actions or inaction of police officers. The IIO said it has already identified witnesses, gathered evidence and conducted interviews, but asked anyone with information that could be relevant to the Fernie investigation to come forward.
