The Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia is investigating after a police-involved shooting in Surrey on Sunday resulted in the death of a 15-year-old boy.
According to the BC RCMP, officers responded to a call at approximately 2:39 p.m. on Sunday about a distressed individual, reportedly armed with a gun, in a schoolyard near the 7000 block of 188 St.
Officers from the Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit located the person, leading to an "extensive interaction." Shots were fired in the area of 185 St. and 70 Ave., near Clayton Heights Secondary School.
First responders with BC Emergency Health Services, who had been staged nearby, were called in immediately to provide medical care, but the teen did not survive. No one else was injured during the incident.
The area remains cordoned off as investigators work to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
The RCMP has stated that no further information will be released while the independent investigation is ongoing.
In a statement to CTV News, the victim's family identified him only as "Chase," noting that he was on the autism spectrum, not suicidal, and did not own a real gun. They suggested the weapon he held while being killed by police was a pellet gun.
Footage of the incident caught via security camera. It shows four officers following Chase as he walks across someone's lawn holding an object to his head.
"Put the gun down," one officer says, adding, "You don't want to do this."
Chase then raises his arm towards the officers, before moving behind a tree. Once he is out of view, two shots are fired.
His family said they found out about the shooting via Facebook and used his phone's location to track him down at the scene.
