Six police officers shot, two suspects killed in shootout at BC bank

@joanbflood/Twitter

An incident at a bank in Saanich, BC on Tuesday turned deadly when six officers were shot and two suspects were killed.

Police in Victoria confirmed that several members of the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (GVERT) were transported to hospital after suffering gunshot wounds during the bank shootout.

“We anticipate that some officers will be released following emergency treatment, whereas other officers sustained serious injuries and have been taken into surgery,” reads a statement from police.

Three officers are expected to be released soon, while three are in surgery with more serious injuries, Chief Dean Duthie told reporters Tuesday afternoon.

2 suspects are deceased, 6 GVERT officers shot, officers continue to respond to ongoing incident in Saanich. #yyj | https://t.co/Ei7otA9o0N

— Victoria Police (@vicpdcanada) June 28, 2022

Three officers are members of Saanich Police and three are members of VicPD.

Police say that they don’t believe any members of the public, bank employees, or customers were physically injured in the incident.

“The fact that no citizens were injured in any way is amazing. The officers did get injured because they were doing what they signed up to do — to protect the public,” Duthie said.

He added he’s never seen violence like this.

“In my service with Saanich just shy of 27 years there’s been nothing to this extent.”

A shelter-in-place advisory issued earlier in the afternoon remained in effect as officers search for a potential third suspect and continue to investigate.

SHELTER IN PLACE remains in effect.
If you are in the area of North Dairy Rd to Cedar Hill X Road & Richmond Rd to Cedar Hill Rd – please shelter in place. Officers are searching the area for a possible additional suspect. Please stay in your homes. #yyj

— Saanich Police (@SaanichPolice) June 28, 2022

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The incident began at around 11 am on Tuesday, June 28 when officers with Saanich Police, GVERT, and VicPD responded to a report that two armed men had entered the a Bank of Montreal branch in the 3600-block of Shelbourne Street in Saanich.

Officers encountered the armed suspects who fired at police, according to a news release. The “suspects were shot by police and died at the scene.”

Initially, police said the suspects were in custody. But later revealed they had died.

There’s a video circulating that shows the police shootout. It’s filmed by a witness sitting in a parked car and shows several police officers running amid sounds of gunfire. There’s a K-9 unit present.

Daily Hive has not included the video because of its upsetting nature.

Immediate aftermath of shootout in Saanich #attemptbankrobbery? pic.twitter.com/0xj1TMAm13

— Joan B Flood (@joanbflood) June 28, 2022

Saanich Police also evacuating nearby homes and businesses due to the “presence of a potential explosive device” in a car belonging to one of the suspects.

Police say they will continue to update the public on their investigation.

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With files from Daily Hive’s Megan Devlin