A 34-year-old man is recovering in hospital after he was shot twice by a Sunshine Coast RCMP officer last Friday night in Gibsons.
According to police, on June 26 just after 10:20 p.m., two Sunshine Coast RCMP officers attended a residence in the 600 block of Crucil Road at the request of Langley RCMP regarding a complaint of allegedly uttering threats on a social networking site.
"Officers met with the 34-year-old suspect in the presence of his father. They spoke with him for approximately 20 minutes about the complaint inside the residence," said Chief Superintendent Craig Callens during a media briefing on Saturday, June 27, at Gibsons municipal hall. "While the police officers spoke with the suspect, he obtained a claw hammer and advanced towards the officers holding the hammer above his head. On the basis of the suspect's actions, one of the officers discharged his sidearm, striking the suspect twice."
Callens said the officers then gained control of the individual, started first aid on the man and requested BC Ambulance support.
He said BC Ambulance Service attended and transported the suspect to St. Mary's Hospital in Sechelt where he was stabilized and air lifted to a Lower Mainland hospital. He underwent surgery and was in serious, but stable condition on Saturday afternoon
Police say the suspect was shot in the lower part of his body, but were awaiting a full medical report before confirming exactly where the suspect was shot. An update on the man's condition was not provided by police by press deadline Thursday afternoon.
Police have not released the name of the suspect, although several Lower Mainland media outlets have identified him as Leonard Kirkham.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is the lead investigative unit on the case and is being supported by the Lower Mainland District Forensic Identification Section.
"This investigation is in its infancy. The RCMP are striving to provide the public with as much factual information as quickly as possible," said Callens. "It is for that reason that we will not be providing intricate details of the circumstances and events surrounding this shooting. Once facts and evidence are confirmed, the RCMP will provide regular updates."
Callens said he did not have the details as to the extent of the original threat complaint from Langley RCMP. He also could not say if or when charges may be laid in the case.
He said there was no warrant for arrest and the officers visited the home only to gain information.
Neither of the officers involved in Friday's incident had a Taser according to Callens, adding officers must respond according to "the nature of the threat" posed to them. The officer who shot the man was said to have had 14 months experience on the job, while the other officer had 27 months experience.
Mayor Barry Janyk was on hand for the press conference and said the incident is concerning.
Janyk was asked, given that two high-profile shootings have taken place in Gibsons in the past three months, whether he was concerned that police are taking the use of firearms in the community seriously.
"I'm here to provide support to the RCMP and the community," said Janyk. "I think the RCMP have a responsibility to act according to the incident. I have no evidence to suggest anything else. Until the investigation is complete, it would be inappropriate to all the parties involved to comment."
Sgt. Peter Thiessen was asked whether police are dealing with more incidents related to social networking sites and whether police were concerned about those sites and the content posted to them.
"We're certainly well aware of the phenomenon of social networking sites - they seem to be growing exponentially in participants within the social networking site," said Thiessen.
"I think its fair to say that as a police organization and with many other police organizations, those sites are monitored for one reason or another, but to say they are creating larger issues for us would be premature. If there is a message to get out to people, it is that people need to be careful when they are on social networking sites, generally speaking. You need to be careful what information you provide, either personal or otherwise, and conduct yourselves appropriately."
The Commission for Public Complaints against the RCMP has been advised of the incident and provided with all details known to date, and they will consider invoking the independent observer program at their discretion.
