Surrance Myers (Image Credit: Facebook / Surrance Myers)

By James Peters

Two and Out

PETERS: Surrance Myers didn’t have to die in a Williams Lake RCMP cell

Oct 10, 2025 | 12:30 PM

A REPORT RELEASED THIS WEEK into a 2022 in-custody death in Williams Lake is absolutely maddening because it reveals so many different points when the tragedy could have been prevented.

Surrance Myers, a 21-year-old Indigenous man, died in a Williams Lake RCMP cell three years ago.

He was lodged there after a late-night arrest for driving a moped while prohibited.

The medical examiner couldn’t find an exact cause of death but the Independent Investigations Office says it was likely brought on when Surrance rolled off the bench he was sleeping on inside the cell. Drugs and alcohol did not contribute, the coroner was clear.

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The investigator split the blame between two factors.

First, the laziness or indifference of the civilian guard on duty that night.

She saw Surrance fall off the bench and then, after a precursory check, did next to nothing as he lay completely motionless on the floor of his cell for nearly two hours. Her knee hurt, she said.

Unacceptable conduct from someone in law enforcement.

Second, the investigator blamed understaffing at the Williams Lake detachment.

There were only four officers on shift that night — two of them on overtime. They were kept so busy, they weren’t able to get Surrance processed and released in a reasonable amount of time.

Remember, he was not sleeping it off. He was in custody on a relatively minor offence and deserved to be sent home with a court date and conditions.

The low staffing also resulted in poor oversight for a guard who obviously could have used some accountability.

Maybe the biggest question, though, is why these overworked patrol officers needed to arrest Surrance in the first place.

If the Williams Lake detachment was so understaffed that night, was it worth their time to pursue a 21-year-old kid riding around at midnight on a moped?

Sure, he was a prohibited driver, but on a scale of serious public safety issues Williams Lake could be facing at that time of night, a young man joyriding on a moped must be pretty low.

Instead, Surrance Myers was arrested and now he’s dead.

Some accountability measures have already been enacted but, given the systemic failures this report demonstrates, it’s pretty easy to imagine a similar tragedy happening all over again in the future.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.