RCMP breaks silence about St. John's shooting

A lengthy RCMP drug investigation led to an RCMP officer firing his gun in a St. John's parking lot Monday, say police.

In the hours following the incident a Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer spoke with reporters about what had happened.

Tuesday, RCMP Sgt. Wayne Newell confirmed an RCMP drug squad was trying to arrest people in two pickup trucks when a plainclothes RCMP officer fired his 9-mm service pistol at them.

Police said no one was injured.

Newell said the RCMP is conducting an internal review of what happened, and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary is investigating the level of force that was used during the incident.

He said the two pickups - one with Quebec plates and the other with N.L. plates - have been found but police are still looking for the people involved.

Newell told reporters the arrests the RCMP officers were trying to make Monday were part of a multi-year drug investigation.