New Brunswick RCMP requests SiRT review of officer-involved shooting

The Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) is investigating an officer-involved shooting in New Brunswick that sent one man to hospital.

Codiac Regional RCMP responded to a report of domestic violence at a residence on Lutz Street, near Moncton’s downtown area, Monday morning.

Police say, when officers arrived, they located a man who was armed with a weapon.

“The man refused to drop his weapon and would not cooperate with police. One of the responding members discharged their firearm at the man and subsequently arrested him,” said Cpl. Hans Ouellette in a news release Tuesday.

Police say the man was transported to hospital with what are believed to be serious, but non life-threatening injuries.

According to the news release, no police officers were injured during the incident.

CTV News reached out to the New Brunswick RCMP several times on Monday to get information on the incident, but phone calls and emails were not returned.

On Tuesday, RCMP spokesperson Hans Ouellette said a news release with details on the shooting was not ready by the end of the day.

Police officers are pictured outside a home on Lutz Street near downtown Moncton, N.B., on May 15, 2023. (Derek Haggett/CTV Atlantic)

Ouellette was asked why police didn’t provide updates on social media.

“There was no immediate threat to the public. It was an isolated incident,” said Ouellette.

He also said the incident didn’t meet the criteria for a public alert.

“At the time, as you can imagine, a lot of things going on, but it was isolated and it was contained,” said Ouellette. “Of course there’s people that will always be asking questions and wondering what’s going on and as soon as we were able to clarify that and put it on a news release we were able to do that.”

Ouellette stressed if there had been any sort of threat the public would have been notified.

Tracey Petukhov lives in the neighbourhood and says she was not surprised to hear about the incident.

“There’s been a lot of action down there the past few weeks,” said Petukhov.

She also was not upset by the lack of transparency from the police.

“I kind of assumed if it wasn’t important, or life-threatening for anybody else that there was something else going on,” said Petukhov. “I’m sure if he had gotten away then we would have heard a lot more.”

RCMP vehicles are pictured parked outside a home on Lutz Street near downtown Moncton, N.B., on May 15, 2023. (Derek Haggett/CTV Atlantic)

SiRT director Alonzo Wright was not able to provide an update on the investigation because it is ongoing.

“With any investigation, it varies in time and length and there’s no difference in that with this case,” said Wright. “We’re not sure how long it will take, but once it’s completed then we’ll be in a better position to advise the public whether or not there will be charges or no charges.”

The RCMP are not disclosing what type of weapon the man had.

Police will be on the scene at the home on Lutz Street again Tuesday.