A shot was fired at three Langley animal control officers during a police confrontation on 0 Avenue Friday night, Nov. 10, that ended with a fire and the apparent death of 66-year-old Don Bennett.

More details of the incident were disclosed by Sarah Jones, executive director of the Aldergrove-based Langley Animal Protection Society, who told the Langley Advance Times the officers arrived to find a police standoff underway at a barn in the 23500 block of 0, the road that runs along the Canada-U.S. border.

害羞草研究所淭hey were told [by RCMP] that there was a wellness check happening, and there were dogs blocking access to the person,害羞草研究所� Jones said.

害羞草研究所淲e were called in because one of [Bennett害羞草研究所檚] dogs was in the outside of the barn in the fenced-off area, and so they could not access the door. So we went in to 害羞草研究所榗atch pole害羞草研究所� that dog [and] we did that without incident. Then there was another dog, heard from inside, and that dog was in with Mr. Bennett.害羞草研究所�

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After what Jones described as a 害羞草研究所渟ignificant amount of time害羞草研究所� with no response from Bennett, the officers decided to investigate.

害羞草研究所淢r. Bennett didn害羞草研究所檛 say anything to them. They didn害羞草研究所檛 know if he was alive or not, or even in there, so they needed to check, so they jimmied open the door,害羞草研究所� Jones described.

害羞草研究所淚t was really dark in the barn. When they attempted to open the barn door to retrieve the second dog, that moment is when the shot came through the door towards my officers.害羞草研究所�

No one was hit, but as the officers scrambled to find cover, 害羞草研究所渙ur manager of animal control thought that one of his officers was shot, and one of the officers thought [the manager] was shot, because they went in opposite directions. For a while there, they thought each other had been shot, and that害羞草研究所檚 I think that was the hardest[for them].害羞草研究所�

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Jones said the three officers included one who had been on the job just two weeks and came along to learn how to use a catch pole.

A counselor was brought in.

害羞草研究所淪he was called that evening and had a session with each of them in the night to make sure that they were okay,害羞草研究所� Jones said.

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e getting the mental health and emotional support they need, and they害羞草研究所檙e doing remarkably well, but I think this [is] something that [can] show up later.害羞草研究所�

WorkSafe B.C. was to meet with the three Wednesday to do a 害羞草研究所渃ritical incident害羞草研究所� debrief.

Jones described the shooting as 害羞草研究所渧ery scary害羞草研究所� and the 害羞草研究所渃all I never wanted to get.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚 send my staff out and I want them to come home safe,害羞草研究所� she said.

 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a very dangerous job, and I don害羞草研究所檛 think a lot of people understand how dangerous animal control is. They害羞草研究所檙e essentially first responders, because if somebody is being attacked by a dog, their job is to go in and resolve that issue. They don害羞草研究所檛 get to run away. Their job is to go and secure the dog.害羞草研究所�

The second dog was retrieved and both are at LAPS, where Jones described them as 害羞草研究所渘ot in good shape and behaviorally not sound.害羞草研究所� One has a 害羞草研究所渂ite history,害羞草研究所� she said.

A subsequent fire destroyed the building and two police vehicles Friday night. Bennett was believed to be inside, but that had not been confirmed as of Wednesday.

The incident is being investigated by the Independent Investigations Office (IIO), a civilian-led police oversight agency responsible for conducting investigations into police-officer-involved incidents of death or serious harm.