IIO concludes arrested man did not suffer ‘serious harm,’ ends Victoria investigation

A view of the Victoria Police Headquarters in Victoria, B.C., on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024.

The injuries a man suffered during his arrest in Victoria on New Year’s Day do not amount to “serious harm,” a B.C. police oversight agency has concluded.

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. launched an investigation after the arrest to determine whether its mandate was met.

The IIO is tasked with investigating all incidents involving police officers in B.C. that result in death or serious harm to a member of the public, regardless of whether there is any allegation of wrongdoing on the part of the police.

In this case, officers were called to the 800 block of Johnson Street shortly after 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 1 for reports of “a man behaving aggressively in public.”

“The reports included yelling at passersby, challenging people to fight, running in and out of traffic, and allegedly assaulting a member of the public,” VicPD said in a statement acknowledging the end of the IIO investigation Friday.

According to police, the man resisted arrest and attempted to flee, prompting the use of a police dog to help take him into custody.

In its own statement Friday, the IIO said the man suffered an injury during the arrest and was taken to hospital for assessment and treatment.

“The chief civilian director has now reviewed the evidence collected by IIO investigators—including medical records, photographs and a statement from the affected person—and has determined that the man’s injuries do not meet the threshold of serious harm, as defined by the Police Act," the IIO statement reads.

Notably, while the IIO investigation has concluded, online court records indicate the prosecution of the underlying incident is ongoing.

B.C.’s Court Services Online system identifies the arrested man as Quentin Anthony Schmidt-Paborn, born in 1973.

He has been charged with assaulting a peace officer, willfully resisting or obstructing a peace officer and “causing disturbance.” The charges were laid Feb. 26, nearly two months after the incident.

Schmidt-Paborn was scheduled to make his first appearance in court on the matter Thursday, but CSO indicates a bench warrant was issued, suggesting he did not appear.