Police probe clears seven Vancouver officers in beating death of Myles Gray

VANCOUVER — Seven Vancouver police officers involved in the beating death of Myles Gray nine years ago have been cleared of wrongdoing by a police discipline authority.

The Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner says it’s reviewing the decision over the 2015 death of Gray, which was classified as a homicide by a coroner’s inquest last year.

A pathologist told the inquest Gray died of cardiopulmonary arrest, complicated by police actions including “neck compression,” blunt force injuries, the use of pepper spray and holding Gray on his stomach while his arms were handcuffed behind his back.

The commissioner says in a statement that the discipline proceeding under Delta police Chief Neil Dubord found no officer committed misconduct and allegations of abuse of authority were not proven.

It says the complaints commissioner will now decide whether to seek a further review by a retired judge.

Gray, 33, suffered injuries including ruptured testicles and fractures in his eye socket, nose, voice box and ribs.

The initial 911 call on the day he died was about an agitated man who was behaving erratically and who had sprayed a woman with water from a garden hose.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 10, 2024.

The Canadian Press