Police watchdog investigating after man dies in altercation with officers at Vancouver coffee shop
B.C.'s police watchdog is investigating after a man went into medical distress and died during a confrontation with Vancouver police on Thursday night.
Vancouver police say they were called to the Tim Hortons at Terminal Avenue and Station Street just after 6 p.m. because of a man who had been inside the bathroom for half an hour.
At the time, staff at the coffee shop were trying to shut down the dining area and wanted the man removed, according to an email from VPD spokesperson Const. Tania Visintin.
"When he came out of the restroom, he was agitated and aggressive which resulted in a physical altercation," Visintin wrote.
Police say the man went into medical distress during that confrontation, and though paramedics were called, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Independent Investigations Office, which investigates incidents involving police that lead to serious harm or death, has been called in.
