Close X
Monday, December 23, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. police officer charged with sexual assault dies by suicide, reports say

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 19 Dec, 2024 11:32 AM
  • B.C. police officer charged with sexual assault dies by suicide, reports say

Several British Columbia media reports say one of two Central Saanich Police officers charged with sexual assaulting a woman they met on duty has died by suicide.

The Times Colonist cites four sources saying 43-year-old Sgt. Matthew Ball has died, while other outlets cite police sources saying Ball died by suicide.

Mounties say in a news release they are investigating the discovery of a body in a forested area of Shawnigan Lake, which is about 40 kilometres northwest of Victoria.

RCMP say they are looking into whether any criminality was involved and the coroner's service is also investigating.

An RCMP spokesman would not identify the person who died, while Central Saanich Police, the BC Coroners Service and BC Emergency Health Services declined to comment.

Vancouver police said on Tuesday that Ball and 40-year-old Const. Ryan Johnston allegedly formed separate "intimate" and "inappropriate" relationships with the same woman in her mid-20s, and it did not appear the two officers acted together.

Deputy Chief Fiona Wilson of the Vancouver Police Department said at a Tuesday news conference that the investigation was launched on Oct. 28 at the request of Central Saanich Police after the woman came forward about the alleged offences.

Wilson called the allegations against Ball and Johnston "shocking and disturbing."

She said the investigation was ongoing and anyone with information was asked to contact police.

Ball, who was hired by Central Saanich Police in 2016 after 12 years of service with Calgary police, had faced one count of sexual assault and one count of breach of trust, for allegations that happened between Feb. 1, 2019, and Oct. 31, 2023. 

He was awarded a police exemplary service medal by the Governor General earlier this year. 

Johnston has been with Central Saanich Police since 2017 and is accused of one count of sexual assault for an alleged offence that occurred between Feb. 6, 2020, and March 8, 2020.

Wilson had said both officers were to face court on Tuesday for a bail hearing.

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, support is available 24-7 by calling or texting 988, Canada's national suicide prevention helpline.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Canada Post down eight million parcels amid strike as talk carry on over weekend

Canada Post down eight million parcels amid strike as talk carry on over weekend
Canada Post says it has seen a shortage of more than eight million parcels amid the ongoing strike that has effectively shut down the postal system for nine days compared with the same period of 2023. The Crown corporation said Saturday that customers have been forced to turn to competitors for their deliveries amid a work stoppage that began Nov. 15 when more than 55,000 workers across the country walked off the job.

Canada Post down eight million parcels amid strike as talk carry on over weekend

Is Outlook down? Thousands of Microsoft 365 users report outage issues

Is Outlook down? Thousands of Microsoft 365 users report outage issues
Thousands of Microsoft 365 customers worldwide reported having issues with services like Outlook and Teams on Monday. In social media posts and comments on platforms like outage tracker Downdetector, some impacted said that they were having trouble seeing their emails, loading calendars or opening other Microsoft 365 applications such as Powerpoint.

Is Outlook down? Thousands of Microsoft 365 users report outage issues

Snowfall warning issued for BC highways

Snowfall warning issued for BC highways
Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for a B-C Interior highway where up to 25 centimetres of accumulation is possible. The weather agency says Highway 3 from Grand Forks to Creston is forecasted to see heavy snow at times into today, with the highest accumulation near Kootenay Pass.

Snowfall warning issued for BC highways

Vancouver police say woman's death considered a homicide, man also injured

Vancouver police say woman's death considered a homicide, man also injured
Police say they are investigating a homicide involving the death of a woman. Vancouver police say officers were called overnight to a home in an area near Rupert Street and Euclid Avenue on the city's east side.

Vancouver police say woman's death considered a homicide, man also injured

Justin Trudeau defends spending record on military amid fresh criticism

Justin Trudeau defends spending record on military amid fresh criticism
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is defending his government's record on supporting national defence, following fresh criticism that Canada is failing to live up to its NATO defence-spending commitments. Speaking at the 70th annual session of the NATO parliamentary assembly in Montreal, Trudeau said his government stepped up "big time" after it came to power.

Justin Trudeau defends spending record on military amid fresh criticism

High school closed in Campbell River

High school closed in Campbell River
Hundreds of students in Campbell River, B.C., couldn't attend class on Friday because of a fire in their high school.  A statement from Campbell River Fire Chief Dan Verdun says they responded to a report of a fire in Carihi Secondary School late Thursday night.

High school closed in Campbell River