Charges yet to be laid in officer shooting

Police have removed the vehicle associated to the shooting of Cpl. Jean-René Michaud from the garage at 1133 Raven Drive.

(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

December 04, 2014 - 11:48 AM

ALL BATCHELOR HEIGHTS RESIDENTS ALLOWED HOME

KAMLOOPS - RCMP still have not charged the main suspect in yesterday's shooting of a police officer while the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. said today it is considering ending its own investigation of the police officers involved.

Police arrested a 36-year-old man yesterday afternoon, nearly 13 hours after Cpl. Jean-Rene Michaud was shot at 2:45 a.m. during what appeared to be a routine traffic stop. Michaud underwent ‘successful' surgery on Wednesday and is recovering in hospital in critical but stable condition.

The independent investigations office, a civilian oversight organization, was called in around 5 p.m. because the suspect took a bullet in the arm when a backup officer returned fire. Investigators are still determining if the injuries, or the relationship between the officer and the suspect, warrant further investigation. If a joint case between the RCMP and IIO continues, investigators will accompany RCMP as they continue the investigation.

Police maintained a heavy presence in the area all day yesterday, evacuating and closing off much of the Batchelor Heights neighbourhood. Most residents were allowed home late in the afternoon after the 4 p.m. arrest, but Raven Drive residents remained under evacuation until roughly 9 p.m., according to Cpl. Cheryl Bush.

RCMP Investigators were on the scene again Thursday morning and while no further arrests have been made, Bush said it was too early to know if there would be more.

“We're still very early in the investigation," she says, adding the process includes speaking with witnesses. “Just because you see someone getting into a cop car does not mean they're being arrested. It could be a witness."

Bush says charges will not be laid until the investigation is further along but the man arrested Wednesday afternoon remains in custody.

Police towed their suspect vehicle—a white four-door 1998 Chrysler Intrepid from 1133 Raven Drive at 11:30 a.m. today.

The IIO is expected to release an update on jurisdiction findings.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-2723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.