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The province’s police watchdog is investigating after a Sylvan Lake RCMP officer shot and injured a suspect in central Alberta on Saturday.

A media release from Alberta RCMP on Sunday states that police responded to an oilfield site in Eckville, Alta. at about 8:15 a.m. Saturday after receiving a report of a possible stolen battery.

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Arriving at the scene, an officer discovered a male suspect asleep in a truck, with a sledgehammer and a can of bear spray next to him on the front seat.

According to the RCMP, the officer put out a spike belt and waited for backup.

But then the officer and the suspect got into a “confrontation”, and the officer ended up firing his gun, RCMP said. The suspect was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

RCMP said the officer was not injured, and that the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) — which investigates serious police incidents that result in injury or death — has taken over the investigation.

ASIRT confirmed it is investigating an officer-involved shooting via social media.

Eckville is about 50 km west of Red Deer.

pparsons@postmedia.com

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