A teenager is dead following a police-involved shooting in Surrey on Sunday afternoon.
The Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) is now investigating as a police officer was involved.
The organization said that around 2:40 p.m. Surrey RCMP responded to reports of a person with a weapon near an elementary school near 70 Avenue and 185 Street.
The IIO said there was interaction on someone’s private property between the individual and police during which police fired a weapon.
The person died at the scene from a gunshot-related injury, the IIO said.
The IIO would not confirm the identity or any details about the victim.
However, friends and neighbours of the victim’s family told Global News the victim was a neurodiverse 15-year-old boy.
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In a statement, Surrey Schools confirmed a student from the Clayton Heights Secondary School community had died over the weekend.
“Counsellors will be on-site at Clayton Heights Secondary to support staff, students and the community,” the school district confirmed in an email.
A memorial is growing at the scene of the fatal shooting on Sunday afternoon.
Andrea Macpherson / Global News
Jason Jenkins came to the memorial on Monday to pay his respects. He identified himself as the victim’s uncle, telling Global News that the victim was called Chase.
“This just comes as a total shock, and I’m angry,” he said. “I want to know why there are so many police officers and (the) use deadly force.”
Jenkins said he believes the police used excessive force when dealing with his 15-year-old nephew.
“Why couldn’t you get close enough to use Tasers or like pepper spray or, you know, like they have those rubber bullets, anything, you know,” he added.
“But instead they just decided to shoot him. And I don’t, I just can’t wrap my head around it.”
Jenkins said his nephew did not look like an adult man. He wore braces and glasses and would have never harmed anyone he added.
Neighbour John Pederson said he heard the shots on Sunday afternoon.
“All I witnessed was when I heard the shots. I came outside and they were on top of him giving him resuscitation or whatever,” he said.
Pederson lives across from where the shooting took place. He says he watched helplessly as CPR was being performed on a young man where bouquets of flowers now rest.
Pederson said his property was eventually surrounded by police tape after a stray bullet hit the side of his home.
Initial investigative steps will seek to determine if police actions were necessary, reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances.
The IIO is asking witnesses or anyone with video footage of the incident to contact the Witness Line toll-free at 1-855-446-8477 or via the contact form on the website.
