Police identify Saanich, B.C., gunmen as 22-year-old twin brothers
Mounties on Vancouver Island have publicly identified the two gunmen killed during a shootout with police at a bank in Saanich on Tuesday.
The suspects were 22-year-old twin brothers Mathew and Isaac Auchterlonie, the BC RCMP's Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit confirmed at a news conference Saturday morning.
The twins are from Duncan, B.C., and their family is cooperating with the investigation and has asked for privacy, said BC RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Alex Bérubé.
Neither man had a criminal record and were not previously known to police, he added.
"We understand that the release of the names of the two deceased may answer the who, but there are still many questions and investigation efforts that need to take place in order to fully understand what took place and why," Bérubé said.
"The motive behind the armed robbery and subsequent exchange of gunfire with police has not yet been determined."
CTV News Vancouver Island has confirmed that the now-deleted Instagram account @isaacauchterlonie867 belonged to Isaac Auchterlonie.
The account featured several posts that used anti-government hashtags, interspersed with shots of nature, rifles and ammunition.
Bérubé added that investigators believe there may be people who have more information about the brothers who have not yet spoken to police.
"We need those people to come forward," he said.
Bérubé did not have an update on the condition of the three officers injured in the incident who remained in hospital as of Thursday. He referred questions about those officers to the Saanich and Victoria police departments.
Police, including officers from the heavily armed Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team, were called to the Bank of Montreal branch on Shelbourne Street in Saanich around 11 a.m. Tuesday for reports of a bank robbery.
Officers encountered the two suspects as they were leaving the bank, and a shootout ensued.
The suspects were killed and six officers were injured. While police initially said they were investigating the possibility of a third suspect involved in the robbery attempt, Bérubé said Saturday that investigators now believe the Auchterlonie brothers were the only suspects in the bank.
Investigators continue to look into whether anyone else was involved or associated with the incident, he said.
After the initial exchange of gunfire, police found "improvised explosive devices" inside the suspects' vehicle, which they've since described as a white, four-door 1992 Toyota Camry with two black racing stripes over its hood and roof.
Bérubé said Saturday that police had confirmed that the Auchterlonie brothers were associated with the vehicle, and said investigators have received several calls and tips about the car.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
NEW 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire': A crowd pleaser that turns it up to 11
Hot on the heels of last year's 'Godzilla Minus One' comes 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,' the first ever Academy Award winner in the giant reptile's decades-long film career.