A carjacking suspect was injured and taken to hospital this morning after a police-involved shooting in East Vancouver.
VPD officers responded just after 4 a.m. Sunday to a 9-1-1 call from a security guard who reported that a stranger, armed with a knife and a broken glass bottle, had stolen his car near Prior and Milross Street.
The armed suspect fled in in the stolen car, however VPD officers located the vehicle and a driver near Slocan Street and East 23rd Avenue approximately 25 minutes after the robbery. The police-involved shooting occurred as the officers were taking the driver, who was considered armed and dangerous, into custody.
The suspect, who has not been identified, is currently in custody and under police guard at hospital. He is receiving treatment for an injured arm and faces multiple criminal charges for robbery, weapons, and driving offences.
No police officers were physically injured.
VPD noted that police officers have authority under Section 25 of the Criminal Code of Canada to use reasonable and necessary force when carrying out their lawful duties, however, incidents that result in serious injury to a member of the public are investigated by the province’s civilian oversight authority.
The VPD has notified the Independent Investigations Office (IIO).
The IIO said it was notified of the incident shortly after it occurred and has commenced an investigation.
Initial investigative steps will seek to confirm the extent of the man’s injury and if it meets the threshold of serious harm as defined by the Police Act, and if any force used by police during the arrest was necessary, reasonable, and proportionate under the circumstances.
The IIO is asking any person with relevant information of the incident to please contact the Witness Line toll-free at 1-855-446-8477 or via the contact form on the iiobc.ca website.
