By Spencer Sterritt

Fisheries officers fired upon in North Cowichan arrest

Mar 20, 2017 | 2:17 PM

NANAIMO — RCMP in the Cowichan Valley say shots were fired while Fisheries and Oceans officers were trying to apprehend a group of people accused of illegally harvesting clams near the Chemainus River.

According to North Cowichan-Duncan RCMP Cpl. Krista Hobday, fishery officers were investigating five people for illegally harvesting clams in a contaminated zone, when gunshots rang out just before 4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 17.

RCMP were called in to safely remove the fishery officers from the scene and investigate the gunshots.

Hobday said a man accused of using a gun ran into the nearby woods, along with another man.

The RCMP’s Emergency Repsonse Team was called in at that point, according to Hobday.

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Both men linked to the alleged shooting were arrested later that evening.

No one was injured during the ordeal.

Robert Wayne Guerin, 49, was apprehended at his home on Squaw Hay One First Nation near Chemainus. He’s charged with careless use of a firearm and unauthorized possession of a weapon.

He’ll appear in Duncan Provincial Court on April 18.

The second suspect turned himself in to North Cowichan RCMP. He was released but is still involved in the investigation.

Hobday said only one gun, possibly a shotgun, was fired.

At this time, Fisheries and Oceans Canada is investigating the illegal harvesting of clams while the RCMP is investigating the gunshots.

-With files from Ian Holmes

spencer.sterritt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit