Police watchdog investigating shooting that left Shamattawa First Nation man seriously injured

The province's police watchdog has launched an investigation after what the head of a First Nations organization said is an "alarming" shooting by an officer that left a man seriously injured in northern Manitobaon the weekend.

According to a Monday news release from the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba, RCMP informed the agency that around 1 p.m. Saturday, they responded to a call about a man who fired a gun inside a housein Shamattawa First Nation and was walking in the community with the firearm.

While on patrol, the officers heard shots, RCMP told the investigative unit.

When officers found the man outside a house, hefired his gunand police returned fire, hitting him, the release said.

The man was taken to the Shamattawa nursing station and then to Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg, about 745 kilometres to the southwest.

No information about his current condition was included in the news release. On Saturday,Shamattawa Chief JordnaHilldescribed the man's condition as "50-50."

No police officers were injured, an RCMP spokesperson told CBC News on Saturday.

Man shot multiple times: MKO

The grand chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, which represents northern First Nations in Manitoba,says the shooting is troubling.

While Grand Chief Garrison Settee acknowledged "extenuating circumstances" that led to the incident, he said in a Monday news release that"itis alarming when you hear that an Indigenous man is shot 11 times."

RCMPsaid on Saturday that "shots were fired" and the man was seriously injured, but haven't confirmed how many times the 22-year-old man was shot.

Settee said considering "the many shootings of Indigenous people as of late, I cannot help but be uncertain of the path forward on reconciliation."

Chief Hill also says police shootings are becoming too common, and in Monday's news release, he called fora review of operationalpolicies and practices that he said allow police to"shoot first and ask questions later."

Hill said the man is still in hospital and the First Nation arranged for hisfamily to travel to Winnipeg tobe with him.

The Independent Investigation Unit is mandated to probe any incidents involving police in which someone is seriously injured or killed.

Any witnesses or people who may have information or video footage are asked to contact the investigative unit at 1-844-667-6060.