Pubdate: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 Source: Surrey Now (CN BC) Copyright: 2002 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc., A Canwest Company Contact: http://www.thenownewspaper.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1462 HOCKEY PLAYER NOT CAUGHT WITH POT - POLICE Surrey RCMP's spokesman is denying media reports that the 15-year-old Kelowna boy who committed suicide at a hotel in Guildford on Sunday did so after being caught smoking pot. "He was not caught smoking pot," Const. Tim Shields said, contrary to what's been reported. He told a reporter that "you would be wrong" to report that. Still, he shed no more light on the tragic death in a hotel room at the Ramada Inn in Guildford, where the boy, whose name has not been released, reportedly hanged himself. "He took his own life in the hotel room," Shields said. The boy was in town Saturday with his midget AA team to see a Canucks game and play an exhibition game in Surrey. Police were called at about 12:30 p.m. Sunday. "I'm not going to get into any details about what occurred before out of respect for his family, but I can tell you there is no evidence of foul play and we do believe the young man took his own life," Shields said. "It was his hockey coach who did find him in his hotel room." Coroner Marg Paonessa and Kelowna Minor Hockey Association officials could not be reached at press time, and Ramada staff wouldn't comment. "It's a real tragedy for everyone involved, his teammates, the coaches and of course his family." - --- MAP posted-by: Derek