A Vancouver Police Department patch is seen on an officer’s uniform on Jan. 9, 2021. The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner is investigating a Feb. 22, 2023 incident in which officer shot an innocent man with rubber bullets after mistaking him for a suspect. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Vancouver police shoot innocent man with rubber bullets after mistaking his identity

Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner investigating

Vancouver police officers shot an innocent man with two rubber bullets and took him into custody before realizing he wasn’t the person they were after last week.

The department says officers were working off information that a man wanted Canada-wide in connection with a Calgary home invasion was in the area of Richards Street and Pacific Boulevard on Feb. 22. That suspect was considered armed and dangerous.

However, the person officers twice struck with rubber bullets that day was not the person they were after. The Vancouver Police Department says officers released the innocent man at the scene soon after arresting him, and that he had to receive medical attention.

Senior officials at VPD have since apologized, according to the department, but the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner will be investigating.

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