The Alberta agency tasked with investigating the police-involved shooting death of a mentally ill Vancouver man in 2007 is now two months into its probe and will not say how much more work needs to be done before a final report is presented to the B.C. government.
Clifton Purvis, executive director of the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, said the provincial government gave his agency no deadline to complete the investigation into Paul Boyds death.
Ill never give you a date that its going to be done, but I can tell you its going pretty well, Purvis told the Courier. It was a huge file to absorb just because there were so many witnesses. I think there was 110 witnesses in the initial Vancouver PD investigation, so we have to review all that and then figure out who to go back to with the new information we have.
Purvis said investigators have interviewed new witnesses in the case which generated renewed interest in May when a Winnipeg tourist turned over video of the shooting to the CBC.
The provincial government appointed the Alberta unit to re-open the case the day after the shaky, dimly lit video was broadcast on television.
The video filmed by Andreas Bergen partly shows Vancouver Police Department Const. Lee Chipperfield firing the fatal shot that killed Boyd while he crawled on his hands and knees towards the officer, near the intersection of Granville Street and West 12th Avenue.
Purvis said investigators havent reached any conclusions on the video or how the evidence will factor in to the units recommendations to the provincial government.
Some people have said, Well, youve watched the video, just conclude your investigation, he said. Its a real important piece of evidence but its just thata piece of the evidence. You have to weigh it within the context of everything else thats been done.
The tourist turned over his video to CBC after learning Police Complaint Commissioner Stan Lowe cleared Chipperfield in March of any wrongdoing.
Boyd, 39, who suffered from bipolar disorder and associated paranoia, was killed after a series of events that escalated to Chipperfield firing his gun nine times in 81 seconds.
Eight of the bullets struck Boyd, with the fatal shot coming 23 seconds after his first burst of bullets from his handgun. Chipperfield told investigators and testified at a coroners inquest that he shot Boyd in the head with the last shot because he still believed him to be a threat and potentially wearing body armour.
Police first responded to the area after receiving a report of an assault, which turned out to be false but Boyd was heard yelling in the background.
When police arrived, they saw Boyd clenching a hammer. He dropped it after one of the officers drew his gun. The officer attempted to put Boyd in handcuffs but Boyd grabbed a bike chain with a lock attached to it and struck the officer in the head.
More officers arrived and were injured in trying to subdue Boyd. As he continued swinging the chain, Chipperfield opened fire on Boyd, according to documents related to the investigation.
Boyds father, David, couldnt be reached for comment.
Twitter: @Howellings
