A 33-year old man is currently in custody after a heavy police presence took him down following a chase through Kelowna and West Kelowna.
At approximately 8 a.m. on Monday, Mar. 7, a black Chevy Silverado fled the scene after allegedly being implicated in a three-vehicle crash on Glenmore and Union Road. Kelowna RCMP indicated that the vehicle, an F150 was stolen on Mar. 5.
The suspect then allegedly attempted to take another vehicle by force, that had stopped to assist those involved in the crash. He was eventually successful at stealing a black Chevy Silverado, stated RCMP.
Students at North Glenmore Elementary were put on a ‘hold-and-secure’ upon arriving at school while the situation was processed by police. It has since returned to normal school routines.
Glenmore residents took to social media to report what they saw, with one person noting that police then seemed to be following a vehicle on Glenmore Road before the crash.
About fifteen minutes after the report, police had located the man, who was said to not be “obeying any traffic laws,” and was “driving in a manner that caused concern for public safety.” RCMP made the decision not to pursue.
Just before noon, Cpl. Tammy Lobb confirmed that the suspect in the crash had been arrested.
Dashcam video from the takedown shows a multitude of police vehicles converging on the scene on Highway 97 in West Kelowna.
Kelowna RCMP Inspector Adam MacIntosh spoke to media just after 3 p.m., Monday, to provide an update.
“This was a dynamic and dangerous unfolding incident involving several firearms,” said MacIntosh.
MacIntosh confirmed that 40mm soft rounds were deployed by police at the man, with one round potentially having hit the suspect.
The man was bloody upon arrest, though the blood is expected to have come from the initial crash. He was transported to Kelowna General Hospital.
MacIntosh said that at least one other person involved in the initial crash in Glenmore, which he called a “near-death situation”, was left with severe injuries, although they are not life-threatening. Police confirmed that the suspect did pull a gun and shoot at one of the other car crash victims, and missed, though did not confirm if the injuries are related.
The suspect then released bear spray at a pair of Good Samaritans who had stopped.
More firearms were seized at the scene of the takedown.
The police incident created gridlock throughout West Kelowna for a large portion of Monday afternoon, with northbound lanes of Highway 97 closed at Grizzly Road.
The investigation remains ongoing and is being headed by the RCMP General Investigative Services Robbery Unit.
Investigators are asking anyone with dashcam video of the crash near Glenmore and Union Road to come forward.
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