Tim Lai (Vancouver Sun) - For the second time in two weeks, a man has died while in the custody of Surrey RCMP.
Sgt. Roger Morrow told a news conference that a man in his 20s died at Surrey Memorial Hospital Tuesday afternoon after he was taken into custody Friday night.
Morrow said he was unable to release any other information about the man.The victim was riding the bus near the Newton bus loop at 72nd Avenue near King George Highway when he began “causing difficulties,” forcing the driver to call for transit security. Two security officers had escorted the man off the bus when a struggle unfolded at 72nd Avenue and 134th Street.
“The subject became physically aggressive with security personnel and combative and very resistant,” Morrow said. “It appears nothing took place on the bus. Things certainly degraded once they were off the bus.”
When RCMP was called to assist, Morrow said the man went into medical distress. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition where he was then placed on life support.
Morrow didn’t give any details on the man’s medical condition or his altercation with transit security and police.
He said the integrated homicide investigation team will take over the case and that the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP will also be involved.
An autopsy will be conducted to determine cause of death and results are expected within three months.
Morrow declined comment when asked if the man was known to police.
On June 19, David James Stitt, a 46-year-old south Surrey man, died in hospital after an altercation with an RCMP officer two days earlier. Pepper spray and a baton were used on Stitt at a home in the 13500-block of Crescent Road after he went after the officer with a stick. The officer was injured in the incident.
Stitt collapsed after he was taken into a police cruiser and received CPR.
IHIT is also investigating that case.
Morrow said that there have not been any new directives given to officers to change their behaviour following the two deaths.
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1 RCMP Watch // Jul 2, 2008 at 18:32
‘Combative’ bus passenger death probed
SURREY, British Columbia, July 2 (UPI) — The death of a “combative” man three days after being arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Surrey, British Columbia, was being probed Wednesday.
An unidentified man in his 20s was arrested Friday after a Surrey bus driver radioed transit police for help, saying a passenger was acting erratically, The Province newspaper in Vancouver reported Wednesday.
RCMP Sgt. Roger Morrow said the man “was acting aggressively toward transit police” and “at that point he became very combative enough to the point where police were involved.”
When RCMP officers arrested the man, he went into “medical distress,” Morrow told the newspaper.
The man was in critical condition until Tuesday, when he died, the report said.
Police wouldn’t disclose whether alcohol or drug use was suspected in the man’s death, but said officers had not used an electronic stun gun.
The RCMP has been criticized by a federal watchdog agency in recent weeks for its use of the Taser-brand guns following several deaths of suspects.
2 RCMP Watch // Jul 4, 2008 at 16:01
Homicide detectives investigate after man kicked off bus dies
David Weir - Surrey North Delta Leader - July 02, 2008
Homicide detectives investigating after a Langley man was kicked off a transit bus, went into medical distress while in the custody of Surrey RCMP, and then died in hospital four days later.
Ryan Alexander Wagemans, 24, passed away Tuesday at 1:25 p.m. at Surrey Memorial Hospital.
An autopsy is being performed today (Wednesday), but it could be up to 90 days before the B.C. Coroners Service releases a cause of death because it will take that long for toxicology test results to come back.
In the meantime, the region’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) has been called in to take over the investigation because Wagemans’ death is technically an in-custody death.
According to police, a Coast Mountain Bus driver had taken on a load of passengers at the Newton exchange and was crossing King George Highway at about 6 p.m. Friday when he noticed a passenger acting erratically.
TransLink security met the bus on 72 Avenue west of 134 Street and asked Wagemans to leave the bus. Wageman complied, but once outside, became combative with the two security officers, who then radioed for RCMP support. Mounties arrived moments later and helped restrain Wagemans.
It was then that police noticed the man was in medical distress and called for paramedics and firefighters to attend. Wagemans was transported to Surrey Memorial Hospital where he died Tuesday afternoon.
IHIT is now trying to track down Wagemans’ movements prior to the tragic events unfolding.
“We have learned (Wagemans) may have been on an earlier bus – the 321 from Whalley,” said Cpl. Dale Carr, IHIT spokesperson. “We’re hoping to speak to anyone who may have seen someone acting erratically on that bus.
“We’re reviewing statements taken already and trying to establish additional contacts in an attempt to see what happened to (Wagemans) and why he ended up behaving the way that he did.”
Wagemans was known to police, but Carr did not elaborate further.
Anyone with information that might aid the investigation is asked to call the IHIT tip line at 1-877-543-9217, or to remain anonymous, Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
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