The officer’s name and injuries are not being released. He is the last of six members of the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (GVERT) injured in the shooting to be released from hospital. GVERT members shot and killed brothers Mathew and Isaac Auchterlonie, 22, as they tried to escape after robbing the Bank of Montreal on Shelbourne Street in Saanich. Police said explosives were found in the brothers’ car, but investigators have released few details, including a suspected motive. Saanich Police Chief Dean Duthie said all officers who suffered gunshot wounds were wounded by the brothers and were not accidentally hit by fellow police officers during the intense exchange of gunfire. According to Duthie, the officer who was released from the hospital on Wednesday is facing a major recovery after multiple surgeries. It is not known if he will ever return to active duty. Police, firefighters, paramedics, health workers and friends gathered at the hospital to celebrate his recovery. “To watch our officer actually walk out of the hospital with a smile on his face while being hugged by his family … he actually took a few steps out the door with help. That’s a huge feat considering the injuries he sustained .” Duthie said. Mathew, left, and Isaac Auchterlonie died in a shootout with police after robbing a Bank of Montreal in Saanich, B.C., on June 28, 2022. (Submitted by the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit) Two other Saanich police officers were injured in the melee. Duthie said one is back on active duty while the other was released from the hospital a few weeks ago. Additional psychological counseling has been offered to Saanich PD members since the shooting to ensure they are fit for duty. “A lot of officers want to go back to work and feel ready, even though they may not be ready,” Duthie said. “They want to come back, they want to be part of the team and serve the public, but they may put that drive and commitment before they’re aware of their health in terms of the psychological or mental issues they’ve been dealing with.” The Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIIMCU) is conducting the bank robbery investigation. The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) — the citizen-led watchdog that reviews all police actions that result in death or serious harm — is also investigating.
