UPDATE: Police watchdog investigating after suspect shot while fleeing officers in Salmon Arm

SALMON ARM – An investigation by B.C.’s police watchdog is underway after an officer-involved shooting at a Salmon Arm car wash early this morning.

Around 12:20 a.m., Jan. 30, police were responding to a theft in progress in the 2300 block of 10 Avenue in Salmon Arm, the Independent Investigations Office said in a media release issued Monday afternoon.

“Officers arrived on the scene and located the subject of the complaint. According to police, the male attempted to escape and was subsequently shot,” acting director of the investigations office Marten Youssef said in the release.

The man was transferred to hospital and his condition is unknown at this time, Youssef said.

The agency, which investigates police-related incidents of death or serious harm to determine if an officer might have committed an offence, will now collect physical evidence from the scene and interview civilian witnesses and officers.

Any potential witnesses are asked to call the investigations office at 1-855-446-8477.

According to a release issued by the RCMP just after 3:30 p.m., Jan. 30, police found the lone suspect in one of the wash bays. He attempted to escape in a vehicle and an altercation resulted in shots fired by police.

Officers provided medical assistance and the man was transported to hospital by  paramedics, according to the release. 

No RCMP members were injured.

A photo circulating on social media shows a pair of vehicles draped with tarps outside of Xcalibur Kawasaki, a business located at 2321 10 Avenue SW (on the Trans Canada Highway).

The store posted the following notice on Facebook around 8 a.m. today:

“We want to apologize to all of our great carwash customers, but due to a very serious police incident last night it will be closed today.”

When contacted on Facebook, the business said it couldn’t comment because of the ongoing investigation.

— This story was updated at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 30, 2017, to add new information released by the Independent Investigations Office, and again at 3:55 p.m. to add information from the RCMP. 

To contact a reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston or call 250-309-5230 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.