Sheldon Kyle Thunderblanket is shown in this undated RCMP handout image. The search continues for the suspect wanted in connection with a series of events near Golden, BC on Tuesday, October 11th. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-RCMP
Republished October 13, 2016 - 6:00 AM
Original Publication Date October 12, 2016 - 7:45 AM
GOLDEN, B.C. - Police say a man suspected of shooting a Mountie in British Columbia has been found dead.
RCMP spokesman Cpl. Dan Moskaluk said the man's body was found near the southeastern B.C. community of Revelstoke on Wednesday, and the BC Coroners Service is now investigating his cause of death.
Investigators had been searching for 40-year-old Sheldon Thunderblanket since Tuesday when a female officer was shot in the arm after stopping a vehicle in a theft investigation on Highway 1.
A statement from the City of Revelstoke said the officer who was shot had undergone reconstructive surgery on her hand and arm and is recovering.
The provincial Independent Investigations Office has launched a probe to determine whether there is any connection between the officers' actions and the man's death.
The agency, which investigates all police-involved deaths or serious injuries, said in a release that officers have reported that the suspect drove away after the Mountie was shot.
"A further interaction later occurred between police and the male in the vicinity of Revelstoke, where he fled from police," the release said.
The RCMP said they believe Thunderblanket was wanted for numerous charges in connection with a murder and attempted murder in Saskatchewan.
A news release from the RCMP in Saskatchewan says one person was found dead and another with serious injuries at a residence on Little Pine First Nation on Oct. 10.
It named Thunderblanket as a wanted suspect.
Dozens of officers converged on Revelstoke overnight to search for the suspect after a vehicle linked to the shooting was found in the community.
The shooting closed Highway 1 west of Golden for several hours Tuesday. Traffic was reduced to one lane for an extended period Wednesday.
Moskaluk said Wednesday evening that an area east of Revelstoke will remain closed as officers continue searching for evidence. An investigation into the call that lead to the attempted vehicle stop is also ongoing, he said.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2016