Independent investigation of in-custody death near Lillooet dropped

LILLOOET – Independent investigators have ceased their examination of an in-custody death under the Lillooet RCMP.

The Independent Investigation Office of B.C. were called to the town last week when 22-year-old David Allan Patrick James died following a rampage inside the Bridge River Indian Band Office near Lillooet.

James attacked several employees, allegedly with a hammer, before falling unconscious. When police arrived at the scene, James was unresponsive and pronounced deceased.

The office, which is called in to investigate when a person sustains an injury or dies under the care of the RCMP because police cannot investigate their own, determined actions of the officers in Lillooet were not connected to James’ death and have turned the file over to Lillooet RCMP and the B.C. Coroners Service, which continues to investigate.

At time of publication there was no update from Interior Health on the health conditions of the 10 injured office employees.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Glynn Brothen at gbrothen@infonews.ca, or call 250-319-7494. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.