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."