Man shoots himself in Surrey, police watchdog called to investigate

Officers with B.C.'s police watchdog are trying to determine if police actions played a part in an early morning shooting that left a man seriously hurt.

A statement issued by the RCMP says the Independent Investigations Office was called after a man turned a gun on himself just as Mounties arrived at a call of a possible robbery.

The police statement says Surrey Mounties were responding to a report of a man with a knife allegedly trying to rob people, but the man shot at police as the first cruiser arrived and then shot and seriously wounded himself.

The officer was not hurt but RCMP say the member is receiving support to cope with what was a life-threatening incident.