Saanich Police not responsible in Uptown incident that saw man fall two storeys: IIO

An investigation has deemed Saanich Police not responsible for injuries an alleged shoplifter suffered after falling 20 to 25 feet, about two storeys, from a parking lot at Uptown.

On Nov. 26, around 11 p.m., Saanich Police were called to the mall for a report of a theft at a business, the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC, the province’s police watchdog, said in a release.

The alleged robber, a man, reportedly left Walmart and was seen running toward a parking lot, where officers subsequently located him, the release states.

CCTV footage then showed, and a witness and police records confirmed, that the man started to climb a fence after noticing a police vehicle, according to the IIO.

“Video shows that the officer was some distance from the man when he climbed over and shortly thereafter fell to the ground approximately 6-7.5 metres (20-25 feet) below,” the IIO said. “There was no physical or verbal contact between the man and officer.”

The man was taken to the hospital by ambulance, police said at the time.

The IIO says its chief civilian director reviewed the evidence, including video, a witness statement, scene analysis and police records, and determined that police are not responsible for the man’s injuries.

The investigation is now closed.

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