A man was hospitalized with serious injuries on Friday after being shot by an RCMP officer in the village of Kaslo, British Columbia.
The incident occurred shortly before 6 p.m. during a police response to a reported disturbance at a residence on Kaslo South Road. The shooting took place in the West Kootenay region.
The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of B.C. has launched an investigation into the shooting, as is standard procedure for any police interaction resulting in death or serious harm. According to the RCMP, officers were engaging with a man who exited the home while allegedly carrying an “edged weapon” when an officer discharged their service pistol.
“Officers verbally engaged with the man, and during the interaction an officer discharged their service pistol,” RCMP said.
“The man was struck and transported to hospital for treatment in stable condition,” RCMP said. The IIO confirmed its deployment to the scene on Saturday, noting that its mandate is to investigate police actions regardless of whether there is an allegation of wrongdoing. The agency confirmed that it was notified of the interaction shortly after it occurred.
Did You Know? The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. initiates an investigation by determining if injuries meet the Police Act definition of “serious harm” and if those injuries are connected to police action or inaction. If both criteria are met, the investigation proceeds.
While the IIO conducts its independent review, the RCMP stated they are also investigating the circumstances that preceded the shooting. The IIO has issued a call for witnesses, requesting that anyone with information or relevant footage contact their investigators directly.
The RCMP detachment in Kaslo is reviewing the events leading up to the Friday evening interaction.
The man sustained serious injuries during the interaction. He was transported to a hospital and is currently in stable condition.
The IIO is mandated to investigate all incidents in British Columbia involving police officers that result in death or serious harm. They perform this review regardless of whether there is an allegation of wrongdoing.
The IIO will continue its review of the incident to determine the facts surrounding the use of force. The RCMP has said that all further information will be released by the IIO as the investigation proceeds. It remains unclear how long the independent oversight review will take to reach a conclusion regarding the officer’s actions.
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