An unfounded call to the Kamloops RCMP on Tuesday night led to a man being shot by police with a less lethal weapon.
As a result, the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of British Columbia has launched an investigation.
The man was injured during an incident in Brocklehurst. Police responded to a reported disturbance at a home in the 1000-block of Newton Street at about 10:45 p.m. after someone called the RCMP and claimed a man was chasing a woman with what appeared to be a firearm.
Officers arrived, cordoned off the area and began to call for the people inside the residence to leave.
The IIO said a woman came out, but a man inside delayed his exit. When he did emerge, according to the IIO, he allegedly refused to follow police direction and was struck by shots fired by police from what the IIO called a “less lethal shotgun,” which can include rubber bullets and bean bag rounds.
The man was arrested with the help of a police dog and taken to Royal Inland Hospital, where he was treated for serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.
The IIO said it has since been determined the initial disturbance call, including allegations of the firearm were false, and that no such incident had occurred. The Kamloops RCMP is continuing to pursue a public mischief investigation in connection with the incident.
The Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia is investigating to determine whether police actions are linked to the man’s injuries. The IIO The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) 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 of a police officer, whether on or off duty.
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