B.C.’s police watchdog will be investigating an incident in Merritt that led to a man being airlifted to hospital with serious injuries.

In a statement, RCMP say officers from the Southeast District Containment Team came across a wanted man who was driving a stolen vehicle in Merritt around 11:53 a.m. Thursday morning, Sept. 12.

They say the man “refused to stop for the officers and drove recklessly through the City of Merritt.”

“The man fled towards a forest service road, where officers lost a visual of the suspect vehicle,” RCMP spokesperson Dawn Roberts said in the statement. “Containment was set up in the area and RCMP Air Services assisted with an aerial search for the suspect vehicle.”

“Within minutes of the suspect vehicle entering the forestry road, multiple 9-1-1 calls were received from workers in the area that a vehicle was driving down Midday Valley Road and the driver was allegedly shooting at them.”

Roberts says officers confronted the man at a road block where shots were fired at police, who returned fire and hit the man. She also says the man’s vehicle was rammed by police until it was disabled.

“The man was taken into custody, immediately provided medical aid and was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries,” Roberts said. “A female passenger was treated for injuries and released. No one else sustained injuries.”

Police say the man is being held in connection with unspecified outstanding warrants ahead of a court appearance next week.

“A concurrent investigation will be conducted by the Merritt RCMP with respect to the stolen vehicle and initial engagement with police, as well as the shots fired complaint along the forestry road,” Roberts said.

“Merritt RCMP is asking anyone who has not yet spoken to police to please come forward by calling 250-378-4262.”

The Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia (IIO BC) investigates all situations where police officers respond and there is serious injury or death.