Coquitlam RCMP officers cleared in death of man who fell from 11-storey balcony

The provincial agency that investigates police-involved deaths and injuries says none ofthree responding officers is to blame for the death of a man who fell from an 11-storey balcony in Coquitlam, B.C., despite the claims of an anonymous tipster.

In a statement from the Independent Investigations Office of BC,Chief Civilian Director Ronald MacDonaldsaid independently gatheredevidence "strongly supports" the conclusionthe man either deliberately jumped or slipped while trying to climb down.

In the early morning hours of Aug. 1last year, a 911 dispatcheranswered acall from a distraught woman inside a highrise residential building in the 1100-block of Heffley Crescent,who said her partner had been drinking,had been abusing herand was now threatening her with a knife.

In the 911 recording, the woman is heard tellingthe dispatcher as police entered the apartment,"he's going to go on the balcony, he's going to jump off the balcony ... the police are here." Then she's heard asking officers if he jumped.

'Blood everywhere'

That morning, before policearrived, the womantold 911 her partner had beenangry and had punched some glass. She had told the dispatcher there was "blood everywhere" coming from his cut hand.

During the course of the investigation, the IIOBC said investigators foundno bloodon any of the officers, which points to evidence there had been no close contact with the man.

In fact, the statement said one of the responding officers told his superior that he had not approachedthe man but had stayed back, hopingto de-escalate the situation.

He said when he couldn't see the man outside, heassumed he had gone to the balcony below.

A short time later, the man's body was found on a parking lot rooftop, where he was pronounced dead.

Anonymous tipster

At the time of the incident, Coquitlam RCMP had appealedfor witnesses, which the IIOBC said resulted in a number of tips.

One of those came from an anonymous tipster who claimedto have seen the "whole thing" while they were out walking. They accused the RCMP of lying and committing murder by pushing the man off the balcony.

But the tipsterfailed to respond toinvestigators' emailsand then disappeared entirely. And because the incident took place during the night under poorly lit circumstances, investigators determined the supposed witness could not have seen any details from the ground below.

As a result of overwhelming evidence to the contrary,MacDonaldsaid,investigators will not berecommending any charges against the RCMP officers.

No further information is beingreleased.