Manitoba RCMP officer charged for firing gun at vehicle that sped at him

A Selkirk RCMP officer has been charged for firing his weapon at a car that accelerated toward him in June 2018.

The officer tried to make a traffic stopin the Selkirk area on June 10, 2018, but the vehicle sped offinto a wooded area, says anews release from the Independent Investigation Unit, Manitoba's police watchdog.

The officer chased the vehicle on foot. During the pursuit, the car turned aroundand sped toward the officer, the news release says. The officer fired his gun at the vehicle, and the vehicle took off.

The driver was arrested a short time later without incident. There were no injuries.

The IIU began investigating the incident in December, and said it has determined there are reasonable and probable grounds to believe a criminal offence occurred.

The officer now faces a charge of careless use of a firearm, and is expected to appear in provincial court in Selkirk on Nov. 15.