Watchdog investigates police shooting in Surrey, B.C., that left one dead

Watchdog investigates

Photo: The Canadian Press

An RCMP patch is seen during a news conference about the city's municipal police force transition in Surrey, B.C.

British Columbia's independent police watchdog is investigating after a fatal shooting involving officers in Surrey, B.C., over the weekend.

The Independent Investigations Office says the shooting happened on Sunday, and RCMP told the agency their officers responded to reports of a person with a weapon at a school.

Police say officers arrived at the scene and reported an "interaction" with the person near the intersection of 70 Avenue and 185 Street.

The agency says police fired shots during the interaction, and the person involved was hit and pronounced dead at the scene.

The office says in a statement that it is now investigating to see if police action in the situation leading to the death was necessary or appropriate.

Any witnesses to the confrontation are asked to contact the agency, either through its witness phone line or the contact form available on its website.