FILE PHOTO

(JOHN MCDONALD / iNFOnews.ca)

A Merritt RCMP officer was met with a gun barrel when checking on a suspicious vehicle this morning.

The officer turned on their police lights when pulling up to a Jeep Cherokee on Hamilton Road near the rest stop around 5 a.m. today, Dec. 19, according to an RCMP media release.

As the officer approached on foot, the rear passenger side window rolled down and the barrel of a gun emerged.

At least one shot was fired at the officer, but they weren't injured, RCMP said, and the officer returned fire with several rounds as the Jeep sped away.

It was last seen speeding westbound on Hamilton Hill Road toward the 286 interchange, according to Merritt RCMP.

“It’s unknown if anyone in the vehicle was injured from the member firing their service pistol. We are asking anyone with information on this incident, or may be treating anyone for an injury consistent with being shot to immediately call 9-1-1," Sgt. Josh Roda of Merritt RCMP said in the release.

Police didn't say why the officer checked on the vehicle, except to say that it was suspicious.

The officer was driving a marked RCMP cruiser and turned on police lights as they approached to let the vehicles' occupants know they were there.

Merritt RCMP are searching for a suspect vehicle in a shooting, which is similar to this stock image of this early-2000s Jeep Cherokee.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/RCMP

Police are searching for the suspect vehicle, a dark-coloured, square body style mid-2000s Jeep Cherokee with no running lights with snow covering the licence plate. It may have bullet holes or broken windows.

If you have dash cam or security video from the area of Hamilton Hill Road between 5:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., or if you witnessed the incident, you can contact the Merritt RCMP at 250-378-4262.

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