Man shot by North Vancouver RCMP has died

Houghton - Cop shot man for not following commands.

VANCOUVER – (Update) A 39-year-old man shot by a Mountie for disobeying commands has died following surgery for bullet wounds.

The man was shot after being ordered out of his car while RCMP were investigating an alleged criminal offence.

 Matthew John Wilcox died on Sunday at 8:13 p.m. according to a statement issued by Vancouver Police Const. Lindsey Houghton.

 Houghton said the man died while “recovering from surgery” and that an autopsy will be conducted into the cause of death.

 Wilcox had been released from police custody at 4:32 p.m. on an undertaking to appear in relation to unspecified offences he was supposed to have committed.

 ”The investigation into the shooting is still very active and under investigation by the Vancouver Police Major Crime Section,” said Houghton.

 Houghton had said earlier the man was fired on because he failed to obey commands and the cop did not have a Taser on him.

“The sole occupant of the vehicle, a 39-year-old North Vancouver man, got out of the vehicle and refused to comply with the officer’s commands. The officer made a decision to fire his service weapon,” said Houghton earlier.

“ The man was shot in the torso area and was taken into custody,” he said about the incident on Saturday afternoon.

Police further explained the Mountie did not have a Taser on him at the time. Police are not saying if that implies a lesser use of force could could have brought the situation under control .

“ On Saturday, January 9th at approximately 2:30 p.m., a North Vancouver RCMP officer responded to the area of Mount Seymour Parkway, as a result of a 911 call,” said Houghton.

“ The caller described a vehicle in the area that was alleged to have been involved in a criminal offence. The RCMP officer located the vehicle and subsequently stopped it at Deep Cove Drive and Strathcona,” he said.

“Vancouver Police investigators continue to speak with and identify witnesses and will be working to recreate the events leading up to the shooting.

The man’s injuries are not considered life-threatening. He is known to police, said Houghton.

 
“The officer involved has 4 years service with the RCMP, all in North Vancouver. He was not carrying a taser at the time. The officer was not injured during the incident,” said Houghton.

“Members of the Vancouver Police Major Crime Section and other VPD officers will be in the area throughout the day today searching the area for any potential evidence and canvassing the neighbourhood for witnesses,” Houghton added.

“There have been a number of witnesses already identified and they are being cooperative with our investigators,” he said.

No one has said what action has been taken against the cop or whether he has been assigned to a desk job for killing the man.

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