Death of inmate and lockdown at Mission Institution

Mission, British Columbia, March 30, 2013 - On March 29, 2013, inmate Yu Fan Chang from Mission Institution was found unresponsive in his cell. Correctional Officers immediately performed CPR and an ambulance was called.

Emergency Services were notified and arrived at the institution, but were unable to revive the offender.

At the time of his death, Mr Chang, 48, was serving an indeterminate sentence for Second Degree Murder, Aggravated Assault and Assault causing bodily harm. His sentence had commenced on April 9, 2008.

Next of kin have been notified.

As in all cases where an individual dies while in custody, the police and coroner have been notified. In addition, the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) will review the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Also today, Mission Institution was placed on lockdown in order to facilitate an exceptional search of parts of the institution.

The search is being conducted to ensure the ongoing safety and security of the institution, its staff and the inmates. The institution will return to normal routine when it is determined safe to do so.

Regularly scheduled visits to the institution may be affected. Those who have previously scheduled visits are asked to contact the institution directly for more information.

CSC is committed to preventing contraband from entering its institutions. Our efforts contribute towards ensuring a safe and secure environment for staff and inmates. CSC also works in partnership with the police to take action against those who attempt to have contraband brought into correctional institutions.

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For more information, Media personnel may contact:

Brandon Banks
Assistant Warden, Management Services
Correctional Service Canada
Mission Institution
604-820-5856