Twin brothers ID’d as Saanich, B.C. bank shooting suspects

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Twin brothers of their early 20s have been answerable for the capturing that injured quite a few cops at a financial institution in Saanich earlier this week, RCMP alleged Saturday.

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RCMP spokesman Cpl. Alex Berube recognized the lads as 22-year-olds Mathew and Isaac Auchterlonie from town of Duncan on southern Vancouver Island.

The brothers attended Frances Kelsey Secondary Faculty in Mill Bay, in keeping with a former classmate, who requested Postmedia to stay nameless.

“Isaac and his brother principally stored to themselves” throughout highschool hours, the previous classmate stated. “They by no means appeared to hang around with anyone else however one another.”

A Reddit consumer shared what seemed to be an Instagram account of one of many brothers, Isaac, describing himself as a “WW2 Pacific Conflict fanatic.”

The now-deleted account options pictures of assault rifles and ammunition, in addition to hashtags in opposition to vaccine mandates and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The account additionally reposted messages from a nationwide gun foyer group, the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights.

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A video posted on the account exhibits a letter from the Canadian Firearms Program saying Ottawa’s choice on Might 1, 2020, to reclassify various firearms as prohibited. On the letter, somebody has written the phrases “maintain firearms and don’t give up.” The letter is then tossed into a fireplace.

Six officers have been shot and the brothers have been killed within the shootout with police on Tuesday exterior the Financial institution of Montreal department.

Berube stated officers have spoken with the twins’ kinfolk, who’re co-operating with the investigation.

Investigators are wanting into the suspects’ backgrounds, and he stated neither man had a prison report or was identified to police.

“We perceive that the discharge of the names of the 2 deceased could reply the who, however there are nonetheless many excellent questions and investigation efforts that have to happen with a view to totally perceive what occurred and why,” Berube advised a information convention.

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“The motive behind the armed theft and subsequent change of gunfire with police has not but been decided.”

Police have additionally confirmed that the twins are related to a white four-door 1992 Toyota Camry that has two black racing stripes over the hood and roof, Berube stated. The automotive was discovered with a number of explosives, which have been eliminated and destroyed final week

Berube stated the investigation has to date decided that there have been solely two suspects within the financial institution.

“Nonetheless, we’re persevering with to look into whether or not anybody else was concerned or related to the occasions on Tuesday.”

An replace on the situation of the injured officers wasn’t given.

Earlier, Saanich Chief Const. Dean Duthie had stated three of the officers stay in hospital, together with one who’s in intensive care whereas one other would require extra surgical procedures.

—with recordsdata from Sarah Grochowski