Vancouver – Micheal Vonn of the BC Civil Liberties Association responded today to the findings of the Independent Investigations Office’s public report on its investigation into the September 10, 2012 fatal shooting of Greg Matters by the RCMP. The IIO’s investigation did not find evidence that the officers involved in the shooting had committed a Criminal Code offense.

“The findings of the IIO provide more questions than answers. The IIO has an extremely limited mandate, restricted to determining whether there was evidence of a crime in the act of the fatal shooting, an act to which the only witnesses were police officers. The broader questions are outside the jurisdiction of the IIO and include why the RCMP brought in an extraordinary use of force (including a helicopter) to deal with a relatively minor dispute between two brothers and foiled attempts by family and others to peacefully resolve the situation, which included assaulting and arresting the victim’s mother. All of the surrounding circumstances of this case demand urgent investigation to determine the appropriateness and competence of the RCMP in this matter and whether this tragedy could have been avoided.

“In addition to answers that we hope will come from the complaint we have launched with the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP, we trust that many issues will come to light at the Coroner’s Inquest. The bereaved family of the victim and all British Columbians need to be assured that the circumstances of Greg Matters’ death are thoroughly vetted to avoid such tragic outcomes in the future.”