Brothers drove around the area of the bank for more than an hour before going inside, Mounties say
RCMP have released the findings of a months-long investigation — involving more than 200 police officers across 10 different departments and divisions — into a shootout at a bank in Saanich, B.C., that left six officers physically wounded and two suspects dead last June.
Part of the investigation focused on the movement of the suspects, brothers Mathew and Isaac Auchterlonie, in the hours and minutes before they went heavily armed into a community bank on Shelbourne Street with the goal to lure police and shoot them as they responded to what they believed to be a robbery.
A timeline compiled with cellphone data and various video was detailed on Friday.
8:26 a.m. — Suspects head toward Saanich
At the time of the shooting, the brothers lived in their mother’s home around Mill Bay. The small community is about 43 kilometres north of Saanich.
RCMP said cellphone data suggested the suspects were in the area and headed south toward Saanich and Victoria at 8:26 a.m. PT.
They were travelling in their white Toyota Camry with black racing stripes — a distinct, older vehicle which would later lead police to identify them as suspects.
The men were dressed in baggy windbreakers over olive-coloured body armour, “rigid protection” covering their lower legs, black balaclavas, combat boots and gloves.
Both carried 7.62 mm calibre SKS semi-automatic rifles with extended magazines. One had a large sheath knife tucked into his belt.
Police would later find a large cache of guns, ammunition and 30 homemade explosive devices inside their car. RCMP said the men each had a firearms licence, though they had prohibited magazines and one of the guns had been illegally altered.
9:06 a.m. — Suspects drive around Saanich
RCMP said the suspects were in and around the Bank of Montreal branch on Shelbourne Street at 9:06 a.m.
For the next hour and 15 minutes, the pair drove in “loops” around the area — though police could not provide exact locations.
10:24 – 10:30 a.m. — Suspects zero in on bank
RCMP said the brothers’ Camry was seen driving back and forth on Pear Street, south of the bank, at 10:24 a.m.
Three minutes later, they drove into the parking lot and left after 20 seconds.
At 10:30, the Camry was seen again driving in and out of the BMO parking lot.
Mounties said it’s believed the BMO location was chosen at random.
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