An RCMP officer was shot and seriously injured while responding to a break-and-enter call near a small resort town in western Manitoba, prompting an hours-long search for four suspects who split up and left the area.

Assistant Commissioner Scott Kolody, the force鈥檚 commanding officer in Manitoba, said two officers got out of their car at a rural property near Onanole on Wednesday night when they were immediately fired upon.

RCMP said officers did not shoot back.

鈥淥ne officer was struck and airlifted to a Winnipeg hospital,鈥� Kolody said Thursday. 鈥淓arlier this morning, our officers arrested three adult male suspects 鈥� We continue to look for an additional suspect who is considered armed and dangerous.鈥�

When the suspects split up following the shooting, some left on foot and at least one was in a Black 2005 GMC Sierra extended cab pickup truck. The truck has not been located.

The fourth suspect is now in custody after a standoff with at a residence in Neepawa. At this point in the investigation, we believe all suspects involved in last night鈥檚 shooting are in custody. There is no further threat to public safety at this time.

鈥� RCMP Manitoba (@rcmpmb)

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The 42-year-old injured corporal was in stable but serious condition in hospital, Kolody said. He did not divulge details of the injuries.

Kolody said he visited the injured officer鈥檚 family Thursday morning.

鈥淭hey are deeply shaken by this incident,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he RCMP is truly a large family and what has unfolded over the last few hours truly affects every officer and employee from coast to coast.鈥�

Lloyd Ewashko, reeve of the Rural Municipality of Harrison Park 鈥攚hich includes Onanole 鈥� said dozens of officers were in the area after the shooting.

鈥淚t was quite intense,鈥� Ewashko said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

鈥淚 would imagine in and around 35, 40. Some were out in the field manning roadblocks; some were here in our office.鈥�

Dean Gunnarson, an escape artist who lives in Onanole, was on his way to Winnipeg for an early-morning flight to the United States. He saw many police cars rushing down the road and encountered an officer at a roadblock.

鈥淲e鈥檇 had a series of break and enters (in the area) over the last year or so 鈥� so I asked him, 鈥楢re you looking for some guys doing break and enters?鈥� He said, 鈥楴o, we had something serious. Somebody got shot,鈥欌�� Gunnarson said.

鈥淗e said, 鈥業t鈥檚 really, really bad.鈥欌��

Craig Atkinson, a municipal councillor, said he understood the three arrests were made along or near a provincial highway.

鈥淚 believe (the suspects) were seen or reported to be breaking into people鈥檚 houses.鈥�

Onanole is about 100 kilometres north of Brandon and sits near the entrance to Riding Mountain National Park. It has about 350 year-round residents and others who own cottages.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not used to that type of activity in our community and it鈥檚 frightening for sure,鈥� Ewashko said.

The Canadian Press

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