B.C. police watchdog called after RCMP shoot, injure man suspected of carrying a gun

PENTICTON, B.C. — Mounties in British Columbia’s southern Interior say the province’s police watchdog has been called in after a shooting involving an officer that sent one man to hospital with gunshot injuries.

A statement from the RCMP says officers from Penticton had attempted to conduct a traffic stop for a person believed to be in possession of a gun on Saturday shortly after 4 p.m.

Police stopped the vehicle, but they say the driver ran, leading to an “interaction” during which one officer shot the man.

The Mounties say the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. has been called in to review the incident.

A statement from the watchdog says its investigation aims to confirm what happened leading up to and during the interaction, and whether police actions were necessary, reasonable and proportionate under the circumstances.

The office is asking anyone who witnessed or has video footage of the incident, which occurred near the intersection of Green Mountain Road and Sumac Court, to contact them.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2025.