Vancouver police officer could face charges for fatal Downtown Eastside shooting

A file photo shows the sign of the Patricia Hotel in Vancouver. (CTV)

An officer with the Vancouver Police Department could face criminal charges in the killing of a man on the Downtown Eastside more than two years ago, according to the provincial watchdog.

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. forwarded a report to Crown counsel for consideration of charges Tuesday.

On May 5, 2022, officers were called to the Patricia Hotel on East Hastings Street for a complaint.

“There was an interaction between police and the man who was the subject of the complaint. Shots were fired by a police officer, and the man sustained fatal gunshot injuries,” the IIO said in a statement.

At the time of the shooting, the VPD said officers were responding to a report of an assault with a weapon and were “confronted” by the man before shooting him.

The IIO’s investigation determined that “reasonable grounds exist to believe that one officer may have committed offences in relation to the use of force.”

In order for charges to be approved, Crown has to determine that there is a substantial likelihood of conviction and that a prosecution is in the public interest, the IIO added.