MELVILLE — Two RCMP officers were seriously injured after shots were fired at a residence in Melville late Sunday, prompting a large police response that ended hours later with a suspect in custody.
RCMP said officers were called to a report of an assault on 8th Avenue West at about 9:35 p.m. on June 21. As they arrived, a firearm was discharged and two officers were struck. Both were taken to hospital by EMS with injuries described as serious. At about 2 a.m., the suspect and another occupant exited the home. The suspect was arrested and remains in custody. The other person was briefly detained and later released after being cleared of involvement.
Neighbours described a chaotic and frightening night in the otherwise quiet community.
Richard Goebel, who lives across the street, said he began recording a heated argument outside the home shortly before the shooting.
“I started videotaping the argument … about 11 minutes before the shooting in the front yard,” he said, describing a dispute involving a masked man and neighbours over a property line.
Goebel said the man briefly went inside before returning outside with an object. Moments later, he heard what he initially struggled to register.
“I heard bang, bang, bang … and I was like, that’s a gun,” he said. “My wife and I hit the ground.”
He said emergency crews arrived almost immediately.
“It was less than a minute — there was police everywhere,” he said, adding that the scene quickly filled with officers and emergency vehicles.
Another neighbour, Damian Goebel, a volunteer firefighter, said he initially thought the sounds were fireworks.
“It sounded like somebody was having a good day … Father’s Day and everything,” he said.
But the situation escalated quickly after children nearby reported gunshots.
When he stepped outside, he saw officers with weapons drawn and later heard additional shots.
“I just seen him go down and I heard him yelling, ‘I’m hit, I’m hit,’” he said, referring to one of the injured officers.
Damian Goebel said the scale of the response and the seriousness of the incident were unlike anything he had seen in the town.
“I’ve been here my whole life and I’ve never seen nothing like this,” he said. “It’s a quiet little town … for something to happen like this here, it’s pretty crazy.”
Fire crews were placed on standby as police considered different tactical options, he said, though they were ultimately not required to intervene.
The RCMP Serious Crimes Unit is leading the investigation. No charges have been announced.
Investigators said there is no ongoing risk to public safety linked to the incident.
The investigation remains ongoing.
