A man has been shot and wounded after he was stopped by police on Vancouver Island.
The province’s police watchdog, the Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia, is investigating the Friday night shooting.
A man was stopped by Saanich police at 9 p.m. on Highway 17 for an investigation into the breach of a conditional sentence order, the IIO said.
The IIO said during an interaction with police, the driver was shot. He was transported to hospital, where he underwent surgery, and is listed in stable condition in the intensive care unit.
The civilian-led IIO said it has begun an investigation to confirm the details of what occurred during the traffic stop and to determine what role, if any, police actions or inactions played in the man’s injuries.
The IIO is asking anyone with relevant information to contact the witness line toll free at 1-855-446-8477 or via the contact form at iiobc.ca.
The highway was closed for several hours on Friday night and early Saturday morning near Vanalman Avenue between McKenzie Avenue and Quadra Street, leaving several drivers and passengers behind police tape. As the incident unfolded, police said the highway had to be closed and motorists in the immediate area were advised to seek shelter.
Saanich police said about an hour later that one person, a driver of a vehicle, was in custody, but did not disclose any other details.
A witness on social media shared images of police tape across the highway and the arrival of two ambulances and a supervisor with sirens and lights.
A Twitter user at the scene said: “In my group of evacuees, we heard what sounded like a gunshot or flash-bang.”
The highway was closed in both direction for several more hours for an investigation.
A statement by Saanich police at 7:30 a.m. Saturday said the highway was opened in both directions. “As a result of the incident last night the [Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia] has been notified and will be conducting an investigation.”
The Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia is a civilian-led police oversight agency responsible for conducting investigations into incidents of death or serious harm that may have been the result of the actions or inactions of a police officer.
