Neighbours report new shelter-in-place order, one person in custody, as Saanich bank robbery investigation continues

Jimmy Thomson / Capital Daily

The investigation into a shootout that left two suspects dead and put six police officers in the hospital is ramping up, with an ever-growing list of police units and the Coroners Service now involved.

Police provided an update Thursday afternoon, but refused to take any questions.

Meanwhile, witnesses report new activity near the same area as the shootout—including police with guns drawn and a new shelter-in-place order for some residents as of approximately 5:30pm on Thursday.

Police reported they have a person in custody.

“There are officers outside of my house with guns drawn and they've pushed back barricades further down Shelbourne,” reported Christopher Lee Ford, who lives in the area.

“There's a shelter-in-place order, they're telling us to stay inside. I just opened my living room window and asked this officer outside if it was OK, or what was going on; she said ‘We've had another call, there's another incident, stay inside.’ Then, ‘Stay back.’”

Around the corner on Cedar Hill Cross Road, police activity appeared to ramp up behind the Mount Tolmie Shelter. According to Taylor, who works at Shelbourne Barbers and asked for his last name not to be used, police arrived in numbers around 4:30pm Thursday afternoon. At least one officer had his gun drawn, according to both Taylor and his neighbour Dan, who works at Pizza Factory and also asked for his last name not to be used.

“We saw the two [police cars] kind of race in and park right behind the Fairways [sic]. Then they got out, got their riot gear on, and then a third [car] kind of followed, and then right after that, [in] quick succession, maybe five extra cars [came] up the road,” he told Capital Daily.

A police officer began directing traffic, according to Taylor.

“It looked like she was blocking access to Richmond.”

He said police activity cleared by 5:30pm.

Saanich Police tweeted at 5:32, “We have heavy police presence in the area of Richmond Road at Pear St to investigate a report of a suspicious person. We have one person in custody but continue to search the area. There is no [sic] public safety concerns at this time.”

The department later clarified that they do not believe there is a connection between the incident Thursday evening and the robbery on Tuesday.

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Published on July 6, 2022

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Shelter in place order on Tuesday afternoon

Shelter-in-place order in effect June 28

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(This is an ongoing situation and will be updated as new information becomes available.) ‍

The shootout at the bank took place on Tuesday, after two heavily armed men entered the BMO branch on Shelbourne Street and, according to witnesses, demanded access to the vault.

Police received a call at 11:02 am, according to Saanich Police Chief Const. Dean Duthie. He did not clarify who made that call, or whether it was from the bank or not.

A unit of the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (GVERT) happened to be nearby—on “an entirely separate and unrelated investigation,” according to Duthie—when the robbery began, and responded quickly along with patrol officers, K9 units, and traffic control units. A van, which police said belonged to GVERT, was spotted outside the bank with blood coming from inside.

“Police were on scene when the suspects exited the bank, armed with firearms,” Duthie said. Six officers were shot in the ensuing gunfight.

Police say the focus of their investigation has shifted to a 1992 Toyota Camry sedan, with two black racing stripes over the hood and roof. They’re appealing to the public for anyone who might have information on its whereabouts in the leadup to Tuesday’s armed robbery and shootout.

The vehicle, police said, contained “multiple improvised explosive devices.”

Duthie told reporters that three officers remained in hospital as of Thursday afternoon after receiving surgery; however, he would not comment further on the extent of their injuries. He said emergency response training police had received, and used in the moment, saved the lives of three of the injured officers.

RCMP spokesperson Alex Bérubé. Photo: Jimmy Thomson / Capital Daily

RCMP spokesperson Alex Bérubé told reporters he cannot share any further details on the firearms the suspects were using—but that specialized police units are studying them for more information—and the Coroner is assisting police in identifying the deceased suspects. Once the two suspects have been identified, police say they'll notify their next of kin.

Duthie told reporters he had spoken with BMO president Darryl White, who Duthie said expressed thanks for the police response.