The RCMP say the driver of a vehicle was seriously injured when an officer discharged his firearm during a police check of the car on Wednesday morning in the Bonnington area near Nelson.
The victim is in hospital, seriously injured from the incident, which occured at 2 a.m.
According to a news release from the RCMP, police were responding to a report of men yelling and shots being fired in the 3900 block of Reo Road.
Officers located a stopped vehicle matching the description of one that had left the scene.
“During the check of the vehicle there was an interaction with the driver that resulted in the officer discharging his firearm,” the news release states.
“The male driver sustained serious injuries. First aid was immediately provided by the officers and the individual was taken to hospital by Emergency Health Services. His condition is currently unknown. No other injuries occurred.”
The police then went to a residence on Reo Road where they believed the earlier reported shots were fired.
The incident is being investigated by the Independent Investigations Office (IIO), a provincial agency that investigates interactions in which a person is injured or killed by a police officer.
The news release states that because the matter is in the hands of the IIO, the RCMP will not be releasing any more information about the incident.
Anyone who witnessed this incident is asked to contact the IIO BC at 1-855-446-8477.
While the investigation proceeds, Lower Bonnington Road is closed indefinitely from Highway 3A to Reo Road.
