Image Credit: Global BC

By James Peters

Merritt Shootout

Police watchdog looking for witnesses to Merritt-area pursuit, shootout Sunday

Jun 10, 2021 | 4:10 PM

MERRITT, B.C. — The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. (IIO) is calling on witnesses to come forward as it investigates a shootout between RCMP and a stolen vehicle suspect near Merritt.

On Sunday, two occupants of a suspected stolen truck were injured when a lengthy interaction with police ended near Lower Nicola. Both the suspected driver and the passenger, who was a child, are expected to recover.

Fort St. John resident Gerald Cooper is facing charges.

Now, the IIO wants to hear from anyone who may have witnessed the contact between the suspect and RCMP that day.

The first time police interacted with the vehicle was at about 3:50 p.m., near Saddleman Road and Highway 5A in the Quilchena area.

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The second set of interactions took place between 5:10 and 5:45 p.m., when the truck was seen near Quilchena and Highway 5A, on Highway 5A between Quilchena and Nicola Avenue, on Highway 5 at Nicola Avenue in Merritt and at the junction of Highways 8 and 97C near Snake Road.

Anyone who saw the vehicle during these times or has dashcam footage of the truck is asked to call the IIO witness line at 1 (855) 446-8477.