B.C.’s police watchdog is investigating after two people were shot and killed during a confrontation with Mounties in a small Interior community.
The RCMP said officers were called to a dispute between neighbours that involved a handgun Thursday afternoon in Granisle, a village of roughly 300 people located on Babine Lake.
Officers arrived at the scene and established a perimeter around a home shortly before 1:30 p.m. They fired on two people about 90 minutes later.
“One person exited the residence and confronted police. Shots were fired,” Staff Sgt. Rob Vermeulen of E-Division said in a release.
“The second person exited the residence, confronted police and shots were fired.”
Paramedics were already nearby and tried to treat both people, but they couldn’t be saved. No other details about their behaviour prior to the shootings have been released, nor have the names or ages of the deceased.
There were no injuries to police.
The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. was alerted and is launching an investigation.
In a statement issued to media, the agency said no further information or updates will be provided as the IIO investigates the deaths.
