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New Westminster Police

Update: Officer Involved Shooting, Suspect Charged

New Westminster – On Friday, January 15th 2016 at approximately 1200pm members of the NWPD responded to a report of an unwanted person at a business in the 800 block of Boyd Street in Queensborough. One adult male was taken into custody without incident and an interaction occurred with a second adult male in the parking lot. Through the course of the interaction with the second male, there was an officer involved shooting. The male was transported to a local area hospital with non-life threatening injuries, and has since been discharged by medical personnel.

The Independent Investigations Office was notified and has a concurrent investigation into the officer involved shooting.

As a result of an on-going investigation by the NWPD Major Crime Unit, 32 year old Nathan McVannell of Surrey, BC has been charged with the following offences:

  1. Aggravated Assault, section 268(2) of the Criminal Code;
  2. Use a Firearm while Committing or Attempting to Commit an Indictable Offence, section 85(1) of the Criminal Code;
  3. Pointing a Firearm, section 87(1) of the Criminal Code;
  4. Possession of a Prohibited Firearm, section 95(2) of the Criminal Code;
  5. Resist Arrest, section 129(a) of the Criminal Code;
  6. Theft, section 334 of the Criminal Code; and,
  7. Breach of Firearms Prohibition, section 117.01(1) of the Criminal Code.

Mr. McVannell remains in custody to appear before the courts.

The first adult male who was arrested without incident, 31 year old Henry Bennett Smith of Langley, BC, has been charged and was released with conditions of an Undertaking for the following offence:

  1. Breach of Probation, section 733.1(1) of the Criminal Code.

“Our Major Crime Unit continues to investigate the events from last week, and is asking for any witnesses to please call us,” stated Media Relations Officer Acting Sergeant Jeff Scott. “These are very complex investigations that require a lot of expertise, and information from witnesses is extremely valuable.”

If you witnessed these events last week, please contact Detective Cecil of the NWPD Major Crime Unit at 604-525-5411.

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