Saskatoon man shot with bean bag round during firearms call

A Saskatoon man was shot with a bean bag round by police Wednesday evening after they got a report of someone pointing a gun.

According to police, officers arrived at the home on Avenue G South after a report said a person was pointing a gun at someone. But when officers were speaking to the occupant of the home, the man allegedly tried to “forcibly shut the door.”

“Due to the possible presence of firearms inside, a less lethal round was successfully delivered to the resisting male,” police said in a statement.

Bean bag rounds are fired from a shotgun, and are intended to temporarily stun a person or hamper resistance by causing severe pain or injury. While they are often described as “less lethal,” they can still cause death in some cases.

In this case, police said the person who was shot was not seriously injured and refused medical attention.

“Several people were removed from the residence and detained for further investigation,” police added. “Following a subsequent search, police located and seized an inoperable sawed-off rifle from inside the residence.”

While no new criminal charges were laid, police said two of the detained men were found to be wanted on outstanding warrants and both were arrested.