Kamloops RCMP being investigated after shooting man at unfounded disturbance call

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. is investigating an incident in Kamloops after an unarmed man was shot and injured by Kamloops RCMP following up a false call to police.

At around 10:45 p.m. on June 23, 2020, Kamloops RCMP officers responded to a report of a disturbance on the 1000-block of Newtown Street. According to a media release, the person who called police told them a man was chasing a woman with what appeared to be a firearm.

Officers set up a containment area and called the occupants out of the residence. A woman exited, but the second person, a man, did not immediately exit, according to the release.

When he came out he did not follow police direction, and as a result police fired shots at him from a less-lethal shotgun, which may fire rounds made from bean-bag like material.

The man was struck and was then taken into custody with help from the K-9 unit. The release states he suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries and was taken to hospital.

Police later discovered the initial call and allegations of a firearm were untrue, and no such incident had occurred. RCMP are now pursuing a public mischief investigation into the matter based on the call.

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. is now investigating to determine is police actions are linked to the man’s injuries.

No further information will be released at this time, police said.

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