Officer stabbed and suspect shot during arson-related arrest in Richmond
A suspect was shot and a police officer was stabbed during a struggle to arrest a man after a sign in Richmond was set on fire.
The Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia, which investigates all police-involved incidents resulting in severe injury or death, alerted the public that it’s taking the case, which happened on August 22, out of Richmond.
Richmond firefighters called in Richmond RCMP for help with a fire at the 9800 block of Glenthorne Drive just before 11 pm, according to the IIO. Authorities believe a sign was deliberately lit on fire.
Officers arrived on the scene and found a man who they said was uncooperative.
“During the police interaction, a struggle ensued which resulted in a police officer getting stabbed and the man getting shot by police,” the IIO said in a news release.
Both the officer and the man were taken to hospital with serious injuries.
Richmond RCMP’s Serious Crimes Unit is investigating the suspected arson and alleged assault on a police officer. The IIO is looking at how police handled the arrest and whether officers’ actions contributed to the injuries.