The Independent Investigation Office of B.C. (IIO) has completed its investigation of a fatal incident in Revelstoke and has concluded there is no causal connection between death of the male affected person and actions or inactions of police.

At 2:12 p.m. on Tuesday, October 11, RCMP were conducting a road stop and check on Highway 1 in Golden when a male driver, identified as Sheldon Kyle Thunderblanket (pictured), exited his vehicle and fired shots at an officer. The male was also fired at and hit. The extent of his injuries at that time were unknown. The officer sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The male fled on foot and hijacked another vehicle at gunpoint, which he used to flee the scene.

The male drove the vehicle in the direction of Revelstoke. At approximately 4:04 p.m. police located the vehicle nine kilometres west of Revelstoke and pursued the vehicle on the highway.

Police set up a roadblock and deployed two spike belts in an attempt to stop the vehicle. The vehicle failed to stop and shots were fired by police. Eleven expended casings from police carbines were recovered from the scene in the vicinity of the spike belts; it can be confirmed one of the bullets struck the vehicle on the driver’s wing mirror. The affected person was not hit by any police bullets at this scene.

The male continued to drive until he was out of sight of the police; 200 metres from the police spike belts. The police held observations at a distance of 75 metres for 41 minutes until the Police Emergency Response Team arrived. By then, the affected person had exited the vehicle, crossed the highway and made his way down a steep embankment. A police service dog was then deployed with no success. Police concluded the search at 11:42 p.m. when they set up containment around the forest.

The search continued the following morning, and at 10:10 a.m., October 12, the affected person was found deceased, in a river. An autopsy was completed and attended by an IIO forensic investigator. The autopsy concluded the cause of death to be a head trauma consistent with an impact against a rock. The male sustained a flesh wound in the forearm from what is believed to be a 9 mm bullet. This wound is believed to have been caused by the first interaction with the officer in Golden.

Nine IIO investigators were deployed to the scenes near Golden and Revelstoke.

IIO investigators have interviewed civilian witnesses and witness officers; have obtained physical evidence from the scenes; and have reviewed video evidence, 911 reports and radio transmission data.

The Police Act requires the IIO to investigate incidents where there is serious harm as a result of police action.

The IIO’s investigation concluded that there is no causal connection between any of the actions of police and the death of the affected person. As such the IIO will be releasing jurisdiction of this matter.

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