A man is dead after going into "medical distress" while being booked into a Vancouver Police Department (VPD) jail cell.
The incident occurred on Friday, June 30, according to the Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIOBC), which is now investigating the incident.
Police initially arrested the man around Davie and Burrard streets at 9:15 p.m. He was subsequently taken to the VPD jail cells.
"It is reported that at about 10:10 p.m., the man went into medical distress while being booked into cells," states the IIOBC in a press release.
Emergency crews arrived at the scene and took the man to the hospital. He was pronounced deceased at the hospital.
"The IIO was notified of the incident shortly after it occurred and initial investigative steps will seek to confirm the details of the arrest and the cause of the man’s medical distress and subsequent death," states the police watchdog agency.
Anyone with information about the incident or footage is asked to contact the IIOBC at 1-855-446-8477 or via their website.
Vancouver Is Awesome reached out to the VPD for more details; the VPD declined to comment.
