"We love you kiddo."
The words are written on a card left with a bouquet of flowers at a growing memorial near the corner of 185 Street and 70 Avenue in Clayton Heights, where a teen died after a police incident on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 9). A teddy bear and a Hot Wheels car were also among the tributes being left by adults and teens at the site on Monday.
Peace Arch News has confirmed it was a Clayton Heights Secondary student who died.
The Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia is investigating the incident, which occurred after police were called at about 2:39 p.m. Sunday (Feb. 9) about an individual in distress and reportedly armed with a firearm in a school yard, in the area of the 7000-block of 188 street, a BC RCMP release said.
Police officers from the RCMP Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit (SPOSU) attended and located the individual.
After an extensive interaction, shots were fired in the area of 185 Street and 70 Avenue, the release continued. It is not yet clear how many shots were fired or who fired them.
BC Emergency Health Services (EHS) was staged nearby and were immediately called in to attend and provide medical care, but the individual died.
Peace Arch News has not yet been able to independently verify reports that the teen was neurodiverse.
A makeshift memorial with notes and stuffed animals had started to form by Monday morning. A stream of people continued to come to the memorial on Monday afternoon as school let out.
No one else was injured during the interaction, police say.
The IIO BC was notified and attended the scene to investigate police actions in this incident. The area was cordoned off for several to support the investigation.
"Surrey Schools can confirm a student from the Clayton Heights Secondary school community sadly passed away over the weekend," Surrey Schools director of communications Rena Heer emailed Monday.
"Counsellors will be on-site at Clayton Heights Secondary to support staff, students and the community."
Heer also noted the incident did not happen on school property.
