Vancouver police officers' errors in carjacking shooting not criminal

The Independent Investigations Office has concluded that Vancouver police officers who shot a man during an alleged carjacking in November 2024 committed errors but did not commit criminal acts.

According to the watchdog's decision, two officers responded to a carjacking report on Main Street. During the encounter, one officer attempted to break a vehicle window using the butt of his pistol, which resulted in an accidental discharge. Upon hearing the shot, the second officer believed the driver had shot his colleague and fired his own weapon, striking the man in the upper right arm.

The investigation found that the officers failed to communicate with each other and did not follow directions to stop their attempts to apprehend the individual. While the office noted that one officer acted ‘inappropriately’ by using his firearm to attempt to break glass, the actions were deemed non-criminal.