The province’s police watchdog has determined that no officers committed any offence during a 2023 police-involved shooting that left a man seriously injured in Kitimat.
“The Chief Civilian Director has now reviewed the evidence – including a statement from the affected person, medical information, police records and witness accounts – and determined that there are no reasonable grounds to believe any officer may have committed an offence,” the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) said in a statement.
The IIO’s investigation is now concluded. However, due to ongoing court proceedings related to the incident, the IIO’s public report will not be released until those matters have concluded.
According to a police statement, on Dec. 11, 2023, Kitimat RCMP officers were responding to a report of a vehicle stolen from Terrace when they located it around 8 a.m. The vehicle failed to stop and was cornered into a neighbourhood where officers began patrols to locate the driver.
Around 8:45 a.m., the vehicle fled the area despite the deployment of a spike belt at the neighbourhood’s only exit. The vehicle was later seen driving along a sidewalk near a school, reportedly forcing a woman with a stroller out of the way.
The IIO confirmed there was an interaction between police and the suspect that resulted in an officer discharging their firearm. One man sustained serious injuries that were not life-threatening. He was later charged with assaulting a police officer with a weapon and dangerous driving. An officer reportedly suffered minor injuries.
The IIO was notified shortly after the shooting. Its mandate was to confirm the sequence of events and assess the necessity and justification of the force used.
