ARCHIVED - Chair-Initiated Public Complaint: Shooting Death of Ian Bush, British Columbia

File No. PC-2006-1532

As Chair of the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP, I am initiating a complaint into the shooting death of Mr. Ian Bush, formerly of Houston, British Columbia.

On October 29, 2005, Mr. Bush died of a gunshot wound at the Houston RCMP Detachment in British Columbia. The RCMP completed a criminal investigation into the shooting death of Mr. Bush. The investigation was reviewed by the New Westminster Police Department and forwarded to the Crown Prosecutor's Office. The Attorney General of the Province of British Columbia determined that no criminal charges would be laid.

I am satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting death of Mr. Ian Bush. Accordingly, pursuant to subsection 45.37(1) of the RCMP Act, I am initiating a complaint into the conduct of the RCMP officers involved in this incident from the point of first contact with Mr. Bush, to his death, and the criminal investigation related to his death. Specifically:

1. Whether the RCMP officers involved in the events of October 29, 2005, from the moment of initial contact until Mr. Bush's subsequent death, complied with all appropriate policies, procedures, guidelines and statutory requirements for the arrest and treatment of persons taken into and released from custody, and whether such policies, procedures and guidelines are adequate.
2. Whether RCMP officers involved in the criminal investigation of the officer who shot Mr. Bush complied with the RCMP policies, procedures, guidelines and statutory requirements for the conduct of such an investigation and whether such policies, procedures and guidelines are adequate, and, further, whether such investigation was carried out in an adequate and timely fashion.