No charges in police-involved shooting death near Valemount

B.C.'s Criminal Justice Branch has recommended charges not be laidagainst four RCMPofficers involved in a shooting near Valemount, B.C.that left a 51-year-old mandead.

The Crown saysthe evidence gathered bytheIndependentInvestigations Officewhich investigates all police-involved shootingsdoesnot meet standardsfor charge approval.

John Buehler died after Emergency Response Teamofficers fired several shots in anattemptto arrest him for failing to appear in court onprevious charges.

His adult daughter, Shanna Buehler, was alsoshot, andhas since recovered.

Soon after the September 2014incident, the RCMP claimed itsofficers were shot at, and returned firein an exchange of gunfire.

Aprobe later by the Independent Investigations Officefound no evidenceboth parties fired shots.

A statement from the provincial Crownsaidthe Buehlerswerearmed at the time of the shooting, but few details wereprovided as theCrowngoes on tosayat least onematterarisingfrom the case iscurrently before the court.

Earlierpolice confrontation

Buehler had been arrested and charged in a separate incidentearlier in2014.

That arrestfollowedanextended standoff with police.

Buehlerwas allegedlyfound in possession of numerous unlicensed firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition.