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Prince George RCMP cleared of wrongdoing in 2025 death
The Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia (IIO) has cleared Prince George RCMP officers of criminal wrongdoing regarding the August 2025 death of a man. The investigation concluded there were no reasonable grounds to believe an offence was committed during the encounter.
According to the IIO report, officers responded to a 911 call regarding screaming and smashing sounds. Upon entering a residence, officers encountered a man locked in a bedroom who stated, ‘I’m dying’. After an officer kicked the door open, the man was found bleeding and subsequently picked up a wooden object with a metal bracket, which was captured on body-worn camera footage.
An autopsy determined the cause of death was mixed drug toxicity involving cocaine, quetiapine, and diphenhydramine. While a 2023 coroner's inquest ruled the death a homicide, no criminal charges have been laid.
Separately, a public hearing is underway in Vancouver involving seven officers regarding a 2015 fatal arrest of Myles Gray. During testimony, Const. Beau Spencer described the radio calls from the scene as ‘unnerving’ and noted an ‘animalistic roar’ heard during the response. Const. Eric Birzneck testified that he believed Gray was ‘arrestable’ at the time of the encounter.
Entities
Beau Spencer · Eric Birzneck · Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia · Myles Gray · Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner · Prince George RCMP · Vancouver Police Department
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Const. Eric Birzneck testified that he believed Myles Gray was 'arrestable' during the encounter. www.brandonsun.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Seven Vancouver police officers are facing a public hearing regarding potential misconduct. looniepolitics.com · www.brandonsun.com · www.narcity.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Const. Beau Spencer described a radio call for assistance during the encounter as 'unnerving'. looniepolitics.com · www.narcity.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The discipline authority described a previous disciplinary process regarding the case as 'strangely lopsided'. looniepolitics.com · www.narcity.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] A 2023 coroner's inquest ruled Gray's death was a homicide. looniepolitics.com · www.narcity.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Spencer reported hearing an 'animalistic roar' while responding to the scene. looniepolitics.com · www.narcity.com
- [● 18 SOURCES] The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. found no reasonable grounds to believe Prince George RCMP officers committed an offence regarding a man's death in August 2025. chemainusvalleycourier.ca · agassizharrisonobserver.com · interior-news.com · kimberleybulletin.com · northernsentinel.com · +13 more
- [● 2 SOURCES] During the encounter, officers observed the man holding a wooden dowel or stick with a metal plate attached. chemainusvalleycourier.ca · www.myprincegeorgenow.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] An autopsy determined the cause of death was mixed drug toxicity involving cocaine, quetiapine, and diphenhydramine. www.myprincegeorgenow.com