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VPD investigation clears RCMP in Crescent Beach Shooting

No reasonable grounds to believe a criminal offence was committed, Vancouver police report finds
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Police at the scene of the March 2011 incident

An investigation into the March 23, 2011 fatal shooting of 23-year-old Surrey resident Brendon Samuel Beddow by RCMP in Crescent Beach has cleared the officers involved of criminal wrongdoing.

A written statement released by the Vancouver Police Department on Wednesday said their review of the officer-involved shooting “concluded that there were no reasonable grounds to believe a criminal offence was committed by any member of the RCMP in relation to this incident.”

The VPD statement said that as a result, the file was not forwarded to Crown Counsel for charges. The report has been sent to the B.C. Coroners Service and the Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner. No decision on a coroner’s inquest has been made yet.

The Complaints Commissioner has the power to order his own investigation, but no decision is expected soon.

Police were dispatched to the 3000-block of McBride Avenue on a Wednesday afternoon after a woman called 911 to report a domestic disturbance.

Some neighbours reported seeing a distressed young woman run next door for help.

Two officers were confronted by Beddow (pictured at left) when they arrived.

Eyewitness Marc Hiatt told Peace Arch News at the scene that he was working on his truck less than a block away when he heard yelling.

As he approached a Spanish-style home, Hiatt said he heard police say, ‘Drop it!’ and saw a young man with a gun in his hand.

The man was swearing at police and then fired his gun, Hiatt said. The police fired back.

“I yelled, ‘don’t shoot him,’” a shaken Hiatt said. “In my mind, he wasn’t trying to kill anybody. My thought was, this kid’s trying to kill himself.”

Hiatt said he saw the man fire another shot and retreat towards the house, out of Hiatt’s sight. Police fired again, and Hiatt ran and saw the man on the ground, with police administering CPR.

“The cops were saying, ‘stay with me, stay with me,’” Hiatt said.

RCMP policy requires that an outside police agency investigate officer-involved shootings resulting in death or serious injury.

It was South Surrey’s second shooting death involving police officers that month following the killing of Adam Purdie after a police chase March 2.

Purdie had been pulled over by Surrey RCMP in the 15400-block of 16 Avenue, when he sped away just after an officer noticed a firearm in the back seat. He was shot and killed at Highway 10 and King George Boulevard.

An investigation by Saanich Police concluded that an RCMP officer did not contravene the Criminal Code when he fired 30 rounds from his 9-mm sidearm at Purdie after Purdie shot at the officer.



Dan Ferguson

About the Author: Dan Ferguson

Best recognized for my resemblance to St. Nick, I’m the guy you’ll often see out at community events and happenings around town.
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