IIO called Houston, BC after Mounties shot suspected boat theft

British Columbia’s Civil Police watchdog was dispatched to Houston, where a man was shot dead by RCMP during an alleged boat robbery.

Officials were called to reports of a burglary and boat theft around 3:40 a.m. Tuesday morning at a lodge in Topley Landing, about 30 miles between Houston and Burns Lake, according to a media release from the RCMP.

Police lined up on an area bridge to intercept the suspects and eventually spotted a vehicle towing a boat believed to be the stolen ship.

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Police involved shooting at Vancouver intersection of Columbia and East Hastings, IIO says

“Police say the vehicle allegedly drove towards one of the officers who fired his service pistol. The driver of the vehicle sustained non-life-threatening injuries,” the RCMP press release said.

“They were taken to a nearby hospital by EHS for a medical check-up and released for police custody. Otherwise no one was hurt.”

In its own media release, the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) said the suspect was shot in the wrist and has since been discharged from hospital.

The driver and passenger were arrested, police said.

Houston RCMP will conduct the criminal investigation into the boat theft while the IIO will be tasked with investigating police conduct.

The IIO’s mandate is to investigate any interaction with the police that results in serious injury or death in order to assess whether an officer may have committed a criminal offense, whether or not there is an allegation of misconduct.