RCMP circle Alberta home in officer shootings for 2nd day
Written by on February 8th, 2012 in Latest News.
RCMP continue to surround a rural home Wednesday morning, a day after two officers were injured during a shooting near Killam, Alta.
RCMP believe at least one man is in the house about 10 kilometres southeast of the central Alberta town, but it’s not clear if the man is dead.
The officers were wounded in an exchange of gunfire at the house around 2 p.m. local time Tuesday as RCMP were attempting to do a search warrant for a .45-calibre handgun.
Police are certain at least one suspect in the house was hit by gunfire, but do not know the man’s condition.
They have had no response from anyone in the house, and continue to wait.
“What we’re trying to do is determine exactly who is still in that residence and essentially resolve this whole thing without any more injury or death to anyone else,” said Sgt. Patrick Webb.
Police don’t know how many people are in the house if anyone, he said. “If there’s anything we have, there’s lots of patience.”
Town officials said they were told one of the suspects died in the shootout, but RCMP would not confirm it.
No danger to public
RCMP said their attention is focused solely on the house and there is no risk to the public.
The officers are recovering in hospitals in Edmonton after surgery late Tuesday. They are in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries, said Webb.
“We’re very very pleased on the prognosis for them,” he said.
The officers sustained gunshot wounds to their torsos, but were conscious while being taken to hospital.
One officer has five years of RCMP service and the other officer has place in two years on the job.
Investigators from the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, a civilian agency that probes incidents involving police that cause serious injury or death, are also at the scene.
