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BC  

Incident shuts down bridge

UPDATE 11:30 a.m.

The incident which closed a New Westminster bridge was a “critical incident” in which a distraught person died.

The Pattullo Bridge was closed for almost six hours Monday morning while police officers from several agencies responded to the scene. The person did not survive, according to the Independent Investigations Office.

The IIO takes over the investigation whenever police are involved in a death or incident where there is serious harm.

“The IIO will initiate a preliminary investigation in order to determine if there is a nexus, or relationship between the death and an officer’s actions,” the agency said in a media statement.

No additional information was released.

The bridge closure clogged morning rush hour traffic between Surrey and New West.

– with files from CTV Vancouver


ORIGINAL

B.C.'s Independent Investigations Office has assumed jurisdiction over a police incident that took place on the Patullo Bridge early this morning.

The bridge was shut down for several hours, but police are saying little about what happened.

"Due to the nature of an incident that took place on the Patullo Bridge this morning, the Independent Investigations Office has been notified by the New Westminster Police Department," the NWPD said in a press statement.

The IIO investigates police-involved incidents, but was unavailable for comment.

The incident closed the bridge and Front Street in New Westminster in both directions from about 4:30 to at least 8 a.m.



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