B.C. police watchdog finds grounds for charges against 3 RCMP officers in killing of Indigenous man

British Columbia's police watchdog has found reasonable grounds for charges against three Vancouver Island RCMP officers involved in the shooting death of an Indigenous man last year.

British Columbia's police watchdog has found reasonable grounds for charges against three Vancouver Island RCMP officers involved in the shooting death of an Indigenous man last year.

In a statement Thursday, the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. announced it would file a report to B.C.'s prosecution service to consider charges in the death of Jared Lowndes.

At least one Campbell River RCMP officer opened fire on Lowndes in the parking lot of the Tim Hortons in the 2000-block of South Island Highway on the morning of July 8, 2021.

Police were attempting to pull over the 38-year-old father of two for an outstanding warrant when he failed to stop, the RCMP said shortly after the incident.

According to the IIO, the incident began just before 5:30 a.m., when a Mountie was investigating a parked Audi. The driver of the dark blue vehicle reportedly drove away and there was contact between the Audi and a police vehicle.

The Mountie did not pursue the Audi but alerted other officers in the area, according to the IIO.

Police located the Audi again at around 9 a.m., stopping the vehicle in the Tim Hortons drive-thru lane.