Police watchdog investigating after suspect injured during chase in Chilliwack

B.C.'s police watchdog is investigating an incident in Chilliwack in which a suspect being chased by officers was hurt when he encountered a police dog and was shot by an officer with a less lethal shotgun.

Shortly after 10 p.m. yesterday, March 2, Chilliwack RCMP and Abbotsford Police were working on a joint enforcement initiative and learned there was a person with multiple outstanding warrants at a nearby apartment, according to an Independent Investigation Office of B.C. media release.

Officers were positioned outside of the building on the 9200 block of Mary Street in Chilliwack, which prompted the suspect to flee. The man fled from one balcony and broke into a different unit.

Officers found the man on a third-floor balcony, and a police dog was released. The man allegedly assaulted the police dog before having an altercation with officers.

He was then shot by police with a less lethal shotgun. It is not clear if it was fired by RCMP or Abbotsford police officers.

According to the release, the man then jumped from the third story down to a first-floor balcony, where he was arrested.

The man was sent to hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

The Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia will investigate to determine if police actions or inactions are linked to the man’s injuries.

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