The Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) says it is looking for witnesses after an incident near a Surrey park Friday left two people dead and one seriously injured.
The IIO says Surrey Police Service (SPS) officers were called to a building in the area of Old Yale Road near 133 Street around 1 p.m.
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When they arrived, one person was found suffering from stab wounds, IIO media and communications liaison Simon Druker tells CityNews.
SPS officers then went to Holland Park, located near Old Yale Road near King George Boulevard, where they found a second person suffering from stab wounds, Druker says.
While there, officers located a man whom witnesses had identified as being involved in the assault.
“There was then an interaction and the man was shot by police,” said Druker.
“He was taken at that point to a hospital with injuries but was later pronounced deceased.”
Emergency crews attended to both victims, but one was declared dead at the scene, the IIO says. The second victim was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the organization said in a news release.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) has taken over the investigation.
Druker said the IIO is looking to speak to anyone who witnessed the incident or who may have video footage.
“Our main interest here is conducting a fair, thorough, and as transparent as possible investigation,” he said.
“Because it did happen in a relatively populated area of Surrey at a relatively early time of the day, we are very hopeful that a number of people witnessed it or may have recorded.”
“In general, witness accounts can be very helpful to speeding up or furthering IIO investigations. So please do give us a call if you saw anything.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact IHIT at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or via email at ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
— With a file from Raynee Novak
