Alberta’s police watchdog, not IIU, to investigate student killed by Winnipeg police to avoid conflict of interest
Posted January 10, 2024 5:14 pm.
Manitoba’s police watchdog — the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba (IIU) — says they have transferred the investigation of a police-involved shooting on New Year’s Eve at an apartment off the University of Manitoba campus to the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT).
Around 2:20 p.m. on Dec. 31, Winnipeg police responded to a report of an incident at an apartment suite on University Crescent.
Police say while at the scene, an officer shot at a 19-year-old student from Nigeria, who was identified as Afolabi Opaso.
Following the shooting, Opaso was taken to hospital by paramedics in critical condition and later died of his injuries.
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The IIU says ASIRT’s involvement in the investigation will follow recommendations from the IIU’s civilian director, Roxanne Gagné.
The reason for the out-of-province transfer is due to the fact the IIU learned, through the initial stages of the investigation, that an officer involved in the shooting is a close relative of an employee of Manitoba Justice, and they are wanting to avoid the potential of any perceived conflict of interest.
“Although there are no concerns over the professionalism and integrity of the work done by IIU investigators, considering the relationship of the persons involved, it was concluded that the appointment of an outside agency for this investigation is important to preserve the integrity of the investigative process,” said the IIU in a statement.
