A Mountie in Kitimat, BC, shot a car theif who had driven down a sidewalk taking aim at a mother and her baby in a strollerOn Monday morning, RCMP were called to a report of a stolen vehicle from Terrace. At 8:00 a.m., an officer located the stolen vehicle and attempted to stop it. However, the driver of the vehicle failed to comply and the officer did not initiate a pursuit.The run-in led the thief to drive the stolen vehicle into a rural neighborhood just outside of Kitimat, where officers began patrols to locate the vehicle. To secure the area, one officer was stationed at the entrance, the only access point in and out of the neighborhood.Around 8:45 a.m., the stolen vehicle reappeared, prompting the deployment of a spike belt. Unfortunately, the attempt was unsuccessful, and the vehicle managed to escape the area. At 9 a.m., reports surfaced of the vehicle driving recklessly on a sidewalk near a school, forcing a woman with a baby in a stroller to take evasive action.At 9:17 a.m., a confrontation unfolded when a Kitimat RCMP officer engaged with the suspect, resulting in the discharge of a firearm. Paramedics were immediately called to the scene and the injured man was transported to a local hospital with injuries believed to be non-life-threatening. The officer involved also sustained minor injuries.The individual involved in the incident has been charged with assaulting a police officer with a weapon and dangerous driving.In response to the incident, the Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia (IIO BC) has taken charge of investigating the actions of the police officers involved.Meanwhile, the Terrace RCMP is conducting a separate investigation into the initial complaint of the stolen vehicle.
