Police misconduct ruling in death of B.C. woman Lisa Rauch, killed by anti-riot round
VICTORIA - An adjudicator appointed by British Columbia's police watchdog has found a Victoria officer committed misconduct when he fired an anti-riot weapon at a woman in 2019, striking her in the head and killing her.
Retired judge Wally Oppal says in his ruling for the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner that Sgt. Ron Kirkwood's use of the so-called ARWEN rounds against Lisa Rauch was 'reckless and unnecessary.'
No date has been set for Oppal's decision on possible discipline or other recommendations.
Rauch had locked herself in an apartment on Christmas Day, 2019, resulting in a police call that ended with her death when Kirkwood fired three ARWEN rounds into the room.
Oppal says this was 'objectively unreasonable' due to Kirkwood's obscured view of the room.
Police Complaint Commissioner Prabhu Rajan says the case involved the first public hearing called under the B.C. Police Act into a person's death.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 23, 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
16 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
U.S. man sentenced for child luring in case involving Saanich, B.C., girl
SAANICH - An American man has been sentenced to 40 years in a U.S. prison for grooming children in a case that began when the parents of a 12-year-old girl from Saanich, B.C., went to police. The Saanich Police Department says in a news release the girl's parents told officers in April 2020, that they had discovered sexually explicit messages on their daughter's phone from an unknown person. It says officers immediately began a child-luring investigation and determined the suspect to be an American. Police say they worked with U.S. law enforcement officers, who eventually took over the case and arrested Mark Wallen in July 2022. They say investigators determined the Los Angeles man had been preying on girls and boys ranging in age from nine to 16 years old, grooming them to send him sexually explicit photos and videos. Police say Wallen pleaded guilty to the production of child pornography and the enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity last September. He was sentenced on May 16 to four decades in prison, and has a restitution hearing scheduled for Aug. 13. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
17 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Father, teenage son charged in hate-motivated incidents east of Toronto: police
Police say a father and his 14-year-old son have been arrested and charged after an investigation into hate-motivated incidents east of Toronto. Durham Regional Police say a male entered a Canadian Tire store in Bowmanville, Ont., on Jan. 30, and placed antisemitic pamphlets in various places. Officers were also called on May 24 to a mosque in Orono, Ont., where several vehicles and the front door were vandalized. Police say they executed two search warrants on Monday at a residence in Orono where two males were arrested and several items were seized. A 34-year-old man from Clarington has been charged with mischief to property and a 14-year-old boy from Clarington has been charged with mischief relating to religious property. Police say the incidents have had a significant impact, particularly on members of the Jewish and Muslim communities, and they are committed to ensuring everyone's safety, dignity and well-being. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
5 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Man arrested after vehicle driven into Vancouver Cirque du Soleil arena, no one hurt
VANCOUVER - Vancouver police say a man has been arrested after a vehicle was driven into the Pacific Coliseum arena while a Cirque du Soleil show was taking place. They say no one was injured and the incident does not appear to be an act of terrorism. Police say on social media that the incident happened just after 8 p.m. Thursday. They say that the 30-year-old man was apprehended under the Mental Health Act. Photographs shared on social media show a dark-coloured sedan with its front end crumpled at what appears to be the entrance of the arena in East Vancouver. The incident comes 40 days after a ramming attack on the Lapu Lapu Day festival in Vancouver that killed 11 people and injured dozens. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
