Gunmen in Saanich bank shootout had goal 'to shoot and kill police officers': RCMP

The suspects were 22-year-old twin brothers Mathew (left) and Isaac Auchterlonie (right). (Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit)

Police say two brothers killed in a bank robbery on Vancouver Island last summer weren’t interested in money. Their real goal was to kill police.

“It was determined the suspects' primary objective was to shoot and kill police officers,” said BC RCMP Cpl. Alex Berube.

“While they were not known to police, evidence at the scene (of where the suspects lived) indicated the suspects held strong anti-government, anti-police and anti-authority views,” Berube said.

Police say 22-year-old brothers Isaac and Mathew Auchterlonie entered the Bank of Montreal on June 28 wearing full body armour and armed with semi-automatic SKS rifles.

There were 22 staff members and customers inside the bank when the terror began to unfold.

Six police officers were injured in the shootout.

Investigators say the brothers spent 16 minutes inside the bank, remaining there for 11 minutes after getting the money.

Police also say despite previous speculation, a lengthy investigation confirms there was no third person involved in the terrifying shootout.

“The suspects did act alone. They were prepared for significant violence,” said BC RCMP Major Crime Supt. Sanjaya Wijayakoom.

Investigators say a search of the brothers’ vehicle uncovered a large stash of weaponry.

“In the trunk of the Camry, police discovered in excess of 30 improvised explosive devices, four additional firearms, and over 3,500 rounds of ammunition were also recovered,” said Berube.

“The suspects held valid possession and acquisition licenses for both non-restricted and restricted firearms,” he said.

Investigators say the brothers had been plotting an act of extreme violence since at least 2019 and were fully prepared for the consequences.

Police also believe that the suspects' original plan was to have a shootout in mid-2023 at an unknown location, but they pushed up the date because they were moving.

At the home where they lived, “Multiple improvised explosive devices were located, as well as materials used to manufacture the explosive devices…the explosives appeared homemade and were not sophisticated,” said Berube.

“This is an event that we will never forget,” said Chief Dean Duthie of the Saanich Police Department.

He said the actions of the officers saved countless lives that day, but the events continue to take a toll.

“Their inner strength, their determination and their grit has pushed them forward through…a lot of challenging times,” he said.

Five Saanich police officers remain off-duty. A Victoria officer, shot that day, has also not returned to work.