Police Involved Shooting

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Police-Involved Shooting
Member wellness is a priority for the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU) 

September 13, 2021 (Victoria, BC) 

For the second time in the past six months VCPU members have had to discharge a firearm to resolve a violent and dangerous situation. 

Tragically, a man died in yesterday’s incident. Our condolences go out to the family and friends of the deceased man. 

We have confidence our members have acted appropriately in this incident and believe the investigation will support that. 

These two incidents are obviously indicative of the highest level of force being required but we continue to be concerned with the numerous other recent occurrences where officers and members of the public have been assaulted. 

The VCPU is not happy with the proverbial “revolving door” that seems to be increasing the likelihood that people in crisis are not getting the support they need. Those people are having to navigate a difficult and unhelpful system. We continue to call for more support from municipal and provincial officials to address the challenges related to mental health that are greatly impacting our community. 

Below is a summary of incidents that have occurred within the last month that highlight our focus:
21-33299 – Five-year-old boy is assaulted by a random woman
21-33909 – Man arrested for attacking 72-year-old women
21-36037 – VicPD officer seriously assaulted in Banfield Park
21-37050 – Two VicPD officers injured in encounter with man in mental health crisis 

More about the Victoria City Police Union:
Our dedicated members have been serving the people of Greater Victoria for more than 160 years. Today, we are 250+ members strong working in the neighbourhoods of Victoria and Esquimalt to:
Make our community a safe, supportive place where all people can choose to live happy, healthy, productive lives. 

For Media Related Inquiries:
Matt Waterman, VCPU Union Spokesperson
Email: media@vcpu.ca
Phone: 250-880-1394