BREAKING NEWS: IIO B.C. Investigating high speed chase and arrest of “armed and dangerous man”.

The high-speed chase that ended with the arrest of an “armed and dangerous” individual is now under investigation by Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia (IIO BC).

In a press release, issued on Friday, the B.C. RCMP reported that they notified the IIO BC of an incident in Merritt on Thursday which saw two people suffer injuries.

The repot states that on Thursday morning, at approximately 11:53 a.m., officers from the RCMP’s Southeast District Containment Team located a wanted man driving a stolen vehicle in the downtown area of Merritt. A pursuit was authorized as the man refused to stop for the officers and drove recklessly through the City of Merritt.

The RCMP say “the man fled towards a forest service road, where officers lost a visual of the suspect vehicle. Containment was set up in the area and RCMP Air Services assisted with an aerial search for the suspect vehicle.  Within minutes of the suspect vehicle entering the forestry road, multiple 9-1-1 calls were received from workers in the area that a vehicle was driving down Midday Valley Road and the driver was allegedly shooting at them.”

Police confronted the man in the suspect vehicle at a police road block and shots were fired at police.  Officers discharged their firearms, hitting the man, and officers rammed the vehicle until it was disabled.

The man was taken into custody, immediately provided medical aid and was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries.  A female passenger was treated for injuries and released.  No one else sustained injuries.

The man is being held in connection with some outstanding warrants with a court appearance next week.  A concurrent investigation will be conducted by the Merritt RCMP with respect to the stolen vehicle and initial engagement with police, as well as the shots fired complaint along the forestry road.  Merritt RCMP is asking anyone who has not yet spoken to police to please come forward by calling 250-378-4262.

The IIO BC is investigating police actions in the incident. As the matter is now under investigation by the IIO BC, no further information will be released by police.