Suspect dead, 10 hurt in attack at BC First Nation office

Four people remain in hospital this morning after yesterday’s violent attack at the Xwisten (Bridge River Band) office northwest of Lillooet.

DARRYL DYCK/AP Investigators assess the scene at an aboriginal headquarters in rural British Columbia, Canada, on Wednesday after police said a man injured 10 people in an assault. Two patients are in critical condiiton, two are in serious condition and six are being treated for non-life threatening injuries.

James said the violence began when a band member entered the building and injured workers in three different offices.

RCMP say they were called just before 8:30 a.m.to a report that a man with a weapon and found the suspect already restrained, but he was unconscious and unresponsive.

One emergency responder told CTV News that the suspect apparently attacked one person, then turned to attack others who tried to intervene.

“A number of our office staff are being stabilized and transferred to other hospitals”.

RCMP said at least 10 people were injured in the attack.

The suspect, whose name has not been released, died in police custody after he was subdued by people in the office.

Officials with the BC Coroners Service and the Independent Investigations Office are in Lillooet today looking into the circumstances surrounding the death of the alleged assailant. “This tragedy has put our community in shock”.

“Standard investigative activities include locating and interviewing any witnesses and collecting evidence from the scene”, said a news release.

James said that because of the on-going RCMP investigation, she would not be commenting further.

“We’re grateful that it wasn’t worse but you don’t believe that this kind of thing can happen in these small communities”, she said.