A host of criminal charges have now been sworn against a suspect accused of getting into a shootout with West Vancouver police.
West Vancouver police issued a release on June 26 stating that one man was in hospital after an attempt to arrest him for suspected impaired driving escalated into violence on the westbound Highway 1 off-ramp at 15th Street.
“During the interaction with the male, there was an exchange of gunfire and the male was struck by a police vehicle. The male was transported to hospital for treatment,” the release stated.
Because the man was seriously harmed in the incident, the province’s Independent Investigations Office was automatically tasked to carry out its own probe to review the actions of police. At the time, the IIO stated the man was in serious condition.
The Crown has since sworn nine charges against Siavash Ahmadi, a 37-year-old Vancouver resident, including two counts of attempted murder using a firearm, according to documents filed in North Vancouver Provincial Court. Other charges include impaired driving, discharging a prohibited or restricted firearm, possession of three restricted handguns without a licence, one count of breaking and entering at an apartment in East Vancouver, and one count of pointing a firearm. In that case, the victim has the same surname as Ahmadi, court documents show.
Ahmadi faced a bail hearing on Aug. 17 and he remains in custody. He is due back in court on Aug. 24.
