UPDATE: Young boy hit by vehicle in Penticton dies; RCMP driver investigated

(ADAM PROSKIW / iNFOnews.ca)

September 16, 2015 - 6:47 AM

PENTICTON - The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. is investigating after an off-duty RCMP officer hit and killed a five-year-old pedestrian walking with his family.

At roughly 5 p.m. yesterday, Sept. 15, the boy was with his family crossing the road when he was struck.

RCMP originally said the boy was four years old but multiple sources have since said he was a Grade 1 student at Holy Cross School in Penticton.

Kim Lawton drove by the accident scene moments after it happened. She says many motorists pulled over to try to help, adding the boy's father, who is a paramedic, was already administering CPR.

Lawton managed to get hold of the family's dog, who had somehow escaped its collar and leash.

"The boy is with God now. Please say a special prayer for him tonight and for his family who are now dealing with a tremendous and unimaginable loss. Say a prayer for those that witnessed this tragedy, and all of those that worked so hard to try to save this little boy," Lawton wrote in a Facebook posting last night.

A release by RCMP communications officer Sgt. Annie Linteau says because the officer was involved, the Independent Investigations Office will take over the investigation.

Further updates are expected this morning.

Anyone with information or who may have witnessed the incident is asked to contact the IIO Toll-free Witness Line at 1-855-446-8477 (TIPS).

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

— This story was updated at 9:10 a.m., Sept. 16, 2015, to correct information originally supplied by RCMP about the age of the child.

— This story was updated at 9:52 a.m., Sept. 16, 2015, to add details from a witness.

— This story was updated at 1:08 p.m., Sept. 16, 2015, with the correct age of the child.