VicPD cleared of wrongdoing in incident that left man seriously injured

The Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) has released a report that clears VicPD officers of wrongdoing in an incident which left a man with serious injuries. 

At around 4:40 p.m. on October 9th, 2025, VicPD responded to a call reporting a man had threatened another individual with an axe. 

During the arrest, VicPD officers shot non-lethal rounds and deployed a police dog, which bit the man, causing serious injury. 

It was the role of the IIO to investigate and determine if excessive force was used in this matter, and to determine if any action, or inaction, of VicPD officers caused the man’s serious injury. 

According to the IIO’s report, the incident began when the affected man threatened a young boy while he was delivering newspapers. 

The boy’s father drove to where his son said it happened and he too was threatened by the man, but this time with an axe, so he called the police. 

VicPD officers, members of Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team and police service dogs attended the man’s home, and told him he was being arrested for assault with a weapon, but he went inside his home and shut the door. 

One of the officers in attendance reported to the IIO that she had heard the man “had expressed a desire to hurt or kill police,” and claimed he had made “molotov cocktails” and canisters of gas he intended to use on them.

No evidence was reported that can back up this claim. 

Another officer, who was trained as a negotiator, was trying to establish a line of communication with the man, but she was told he could be dangerous. She opted to not meet face to face with him, instead negotiating through a wooden fence that separated them. 

Police told the IIO that at around 5:30 p.m. the man exited his home, appearing to surrender, but then held up his fists and stated that he was ready to fight. 

The negotiating VicPD officer claims she warned him he would be bitten by a police dog if he did not stop threatening police. After hearing this, the man lunged at the officer controlling the police dog. 

When this occurred, another officer shot less-lethal rounds at him via an ARWEN weapon, which reportedly hit his thigh and did not stop him, so the police dog was let loose.

The dog bit the man’s left hand and police say he was punching its head trying to get free, so additional less-lethal rounds were fired at the man, striking him in the rear. 

VicPD claimed the second shot did not appear to have an effect on him, but regardless, they were able to get him pinned down and removed the dog from him. 

He was arrested and taken to hospital as his hand was bleeding profusely. 

On October 21st, the man was interviewed by IIO investigators and he admitted to chasing the young boy away from his house before chasing the father with an axe. 

However, he says that when the dog bit him, he had his hands behind his back, ready to surrender. 

According to IIO, after reviewing all available evidence, the man’s aggressive behaviour warranted the use of force by officers. 

“The officers’ knowledge of [the man’s] earlier assaultive acts, his threats to harm police and the alleged preparation to carry out those threats made it reasonable for them to consider any non-compliance on his part as at least an imminent threat of grievous bodily harm,” wrote Jessica Berglund, chief civilian officer of the IIO in the report. 

“In the circumstances, their application of force was justified as necessary and reasonable.”

Berglund determined the VicPD officers did not use excessive force and has cleared them of wrongdoing in this matter.