Last Saanich police officer injured in bank shooting released from hospital

A Saanich, B.C., police officer who was seriously injured in a shootout at a bank more than two months ago was released from hospital Wednesday.

The officer, who has eight years of police service experience, is a member of the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (GVERT) and was the last of six officers to be released from hospital following the shooting.

Saanich Police Chief Dean Duthie says the officer was shot several times and went through multiple life-saving surgeries in the first few days of care, followed by even more surgeries during his 71 days in hospital.

He'll now continue his recovery at home, according to police.

"Police, fire, paramedics, health-care workers and of course family and friends all gathered this morning outside the Victoria General Hospital to send him off," said Saanich police in a statement Wednesday.

On June 28, officers were called to a Bank of Montreal branch on Shelbourne Street in Saanich for reports of two armed men taking hostages at the bank.

When police arrived, a shootout occurred, leaving both suspects dead and six GVERT officers injured.

Outside the bank, police also found explosive devices inside of a parked car that was linked to the suspects.

Three of the injured officers were members of the Victoria Police Department, while three were from the Saanich Police Department.

Duthie says he's only able to comment on the condition of the Saanich officers, noting that one of the injured officers has returned to work.

The two shooting suspects were later identified as twin brothers Mathew and Isaac Auchterlonie, 22, of Duncan, B.C.

• 'What were they waiting for?' Woman inside Saanich bank amid shootout describes 'calm' gunmen

A now-deleted Instagram account belonging to Isaac showed the brothers had an interest in guns, the wilderness, and shared anti-government and anti-vaccine opinions.

The account also had videos of the brothers shooting rifles in the woods, and featured several clips from a documentary about a bank shootout in North Hollywood in 1997.

At one point, Mathew had also tried to join the Canadian Army, but did not pass an aptitude test, according to a Canadian Armed forces spokesperson.

The Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crimes Unit is leading the investigation into the brazen daylight shooting.

Saanich Police Chief Constable Dean Duthie provides an update about the shootout between two robbery suspects and police yesterday leaving the suspects deceased and six members of the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team in hospital as he answers questions about the incident during a press conference at the Saanich Police department in Saanich, B.C., on Wednesday, June 29, 2022 THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito