B.C. Mountie Accidentally Shot by Fellow Officer During Arrest Near Midway

Authorities are investigating an incident near Midway, B.C., in which an RCMP officer was accidentally shot and injured by a colleague during an arrest involving a suspected stolen vehicle.

The RCMP confirmed that the officer was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and has since been released from the hospital. The Independent Investigations Office (IIO), a civilian-led organization, is now looking into the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

Suspected Stolen Vehicle Pursuit

According to RCMP, the incident unfolded Tuesday morning when Kelowna officers identified a suspicious Ford F-350 pickup truck along Highway 33. Air surveillance was deployed to monitor the vehicle as it traveled toward a forest service road near Midway in B.C.'s West Kootenay region.

Around 1:30 p.m., plainclothes officers from Kelowna and Penticton, along with a police dog unit, moved to intercept the vehicle. Two suspects were taken into custody during the operation, with one suffering a dog bite during the arrest, according to the RCMP.

During the arrest, a firearm discharged, injuring one of the officers.

Official Investigations Underway

The IIO released a statement confirming its deployment to the scene to investigate the circumstances that led to the officer being shot.

"Information provided by the RCMP states that police were in the process of stopping a suspected stolen vehicle on a rural service road off Highway 33 near Midway," the IIO said. "During the incident, one officer discharged their firearm striking another officer."

The RCMP said a workplace safety investigation would also be conducted to examine the incident further, in addition to a review of the circumstances surrounding the stolen vehicle.

Civilian Oversight

The IIO, tasked with investigating incidents involving police where serious harm or death occurs, aims to determine whether any police actions contributed to the officer's injury.

Midway, located approximately 110 kilometers south of Kelowna near the U.S. border, was the scene of the incident. Further details about the circumstances leading to the accidental discharge have not yet been released.

The RCMP has said it will not comment further while investigations by the IIO and other internal departments are ongoing.