BC’s police watchdog says the shots that killed a man during a 2022 kidnapping in Walhachin were not unnecessary.
On Aug. 14, 2022, a man was killed by the Kamloops RCMP following the alleged abduction of his child and ex-spouse.
According to the Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO), the RCMP received multiple 911 calls after the man reportedly assaulted the woman, locked her and the child in a vehicle and drove them to a remote construction site where he was working.
The incident began around 5:20 pm that Sunday and carried on until 3 am that Monday, ending with the man being shot twice by a responding RCMP officer.
Police reported that the man held the woman and the child captive inside a trailer on the construction site.
According to the IIO’s in-depth report of the incident, the fatal shooting happened shortly after the man exited the trailer with the child in his arms. Officers believed he had a handgun on him.
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The officer who was concealed near the trailer throughout the night provided a written statement to the IIO in which he counts what led up to the shooting.
That officer asked another officer to fire a less lethal weapon as soon as possible once the man exited the vehicle. The non-lethal weapon was fired and officers yelled “police, you’re under arrest,” the report said.
However, according to the subject officer’s statement, the man did not let go of the child or surrender.
The officer who fired the shots said he believed the man was trying to access a firearm and use it to jill hostages or police.
“Based on the totality of the circumstances, I believe that my only option to prevent this was to use lethal force, the officer’s statement said.
The officer fired a shot at the suspect, which dropped the man. The officer moved towards him.
“When I reached the suspect, I observed that he had a pistol in his hand and was raising it upward,” the statement said.
“The child was in his lap, and I feared that the suspect would shoot and kill the child, one of the other officers who were fast approaching, or myself. I quickly aimed at the upper body and shot the suspect again. The suspect then fell backward with the gun still in his hand but falling to the side.”
The officer who shot took control of the man’s firearm while another officer controlled his other arm and a third officer removed the child
According to the officer’s statement, he was a trained tactical police medic and immediately began medical intervention including the application of “chest seals, administration of tranexamic acid, IO fluid therapy and other steps.”
Shortly after BC Ambulance Service paramedics arrived and took over.
When the IIO investigated all the evidence, it was confirmed that the pistol found by police was loaded with a round in the chamber and the safety off.
Jessica Berglund, chief civilian director for the IIO, said it was appropriate for the RCMP Emergency Response Team to be involved in the “critical and dangerous situation.”
The report said police had clear indications that the man had committed very violent assaults against one female earlier in the day and had assaulted and kidnapped another, together with their child.
“There was a grave risk that, in desperation, he would harm his hostages or anyone who might get in his way,”
“Given the leverage that his captives gave him, it was not a situation where it would have been appropriate for police to announce their presence and attempt to negotiate a resolution. The (man) had created a situation that was only likely to be resolved by force.”
Berglund said no officer deployed force that was unnecessary, excessive or unreasonable.
She said all efforts were made to provide medical first aid to the man and the matter will be forward for consideration of charges.
