Eyewitness account false, Const. Shelby Patton's firearm was holstered, Saskatchewan RCMP says

Saskatchewan RCMP say two people who claimed they were witnesses to Const. Shelby Patton's death onJune 12 shared a false account with CBCNews.

When CBCNews contacted the two people Thursday morning, theysaid they had fabricated the story they told to areporter on Saturday.

CBCNews had interviewed the couple at the scene in Wolseley, Sask.,about 100 kilometres east of Regina, where police say Patton died on duty after being hit by a stolen truck. Two peopleface charges includingmanslaughter and possession of stolen property in relation to Patton's death.

During the interview, the couple who said they were witnesses told CBC News they sawthe incident from their apartment, which they said overlooked the scene.

Then on Thursday morning, RCMP said in a statementthat after interviewing two people who spoke with CBC News and claimed they witnessed Patton's death, investigators determined those two people were not in Wolseley when the incident took place.

Police said investigators determined the witness's apartment had no clear view of where the incident took place.

GRAPHIC| What RCMP have releasedabout the incident that led to Const. Patton's death

Investigators also determined Patton's gun did not leave its holster, as the two people claiming to be witnesses had said, police said.

CBCremoved what had been reported as a witness account and published an editor's note in the story where the two people'sinterview had been shared.

"The couple expressed shock and emotion at what they say they had witnessed," the note said. "At that time, we had no reason to doubt their story."