British Columbia

Suspect charged with shooting police officer in remote B.C. village

Harry Richardson has been charged with attempted murder in the shooting of a police officer near Argenta last week.

Harry Richardson faces 4 charges in the shooting of a police officer during a standoff last week

A police officer with his RCMP shoulder badge pictured.
Harry Richardson, 28, faces four charges after a police officer was shot in a standoff at a remote property in Argenta, B.C. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

A man has been charged with attempted murder after a police officer was shot in a standoff in the remote community of Argenta in the Kootenays.

Harry Richardson, 28, has been charged with four offences: attempted murder with a firearm, the unlawful discharge of a firearm, and the careless use or storage of a firearm, as well as trespassing.

The standoff began the evening of Oct. 10 after RCMP arrived at a cabin to execute an arrest warrant.

Crisis negotiators were deployed to the scene. At the time, police asked the public to refrain from broadcasting any of their movements.  

It is still unclear when the police officer, who was taken to hospital and is expected to recover, was shot.

RCMP said Richardson is known to police. His next court appearance is Thursday in Castlegar.

With files from Bob Keating