A police oversight body from Alberta is investigating after a man died during a traffic stop south of Whitehorse on the Alaska Highway, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
According to a Yukon RCMP press release from Oct. 24, Whitehorse RCMP, along with officers from the Carcross and Atlin detachments, responded to a “wellness request” about a 48-year-old man on Oct. 22.
Officers found the man driving on the Alaska Highway south of Whitehorse around 7:30 p.m. and stopped the vehicle.
“As officers approached the vehicle they observed the lone male discharge a firearm inside the vehicle,” the press release says. “The male succumbed to his injuries and died on scene.”
The Yukon government has requested the assistance of the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) to investigate the incident.
ASIRT is a civilian-led agency that investigates incidents where death or bodily harm occurs during a police investigation.
Yukon RCMP will not be releasing any more information until ASIRT releases its final report, the press release says.