Manhunt over for Peter Degroot; RCMP confirm suspect is dead

WATCH: A five day manhunt in Slocan, B.C. has finally come to an end. Mounties discovered Peter DeGroot hiding in a cabin on Monday. Now, independent investigators confirm there were shot fires that led to DeGroot’s death. Jeremy Hunka reports.

KELOWNA, B.C. – RCMP say the suspect in last week’s shooting incident in Slocan, B.C. is dead.

RCMP say Peter DeGroot was discovered at a cabin near a gravel pit in Slocan just after 1 p.m. Monday.

The Independent Investigations Office confirms that DeGroot sustained a gunshot injury “during an interaction with two members of the Emergency Response Team.” No officers were injured.

A firearm was also found at the cabin.

“This was a serious incident, and we are providing ongoing support to DeGroot’s family and the officers,” says RCMP Chief Superintendent Frank Smart.

DeGroot had been on the run since Thursday when he allegedly fired at officers who were responding to a report of a dispute between two people on a roadway.

After shots were fired, DeGroot allegedly ran into the surrounding forest and was not located until Monday afternoon.

Residents, who had endured a village-wide lockdown after the initial incident, reported earlier Monday the town’s mood had relaxed and guests had arrived from out of town to celebrate Thanksgiving. Upon learning of the outcome, they once again felt the severity of the situation.

WATCH: More on how Peter DeGroot was seen in the community

“I’m shocked beyond belief,” said Antonia Crossley, owner of the Harold Street Cafe. “I feel for the family. It’s really, really sad, regardless of what happened. A loss is a loss.

“I was hoping that if they ever find him that he would come in peacefully. Somebody always belongs to somebody.”

A woman who answered the phone at the local market gasped and simply said “that’s amazing” when she heard the news.

Neighbours reported DeGroot had fallen on hard times and was scared about being evicted from his modest property. They said he kept to himself, and was usually only seen tending a rag-tag bunch of farm animals.

Resident Mimi Gillis was queried by police in their search, and said she mostly felt they were doing a good job.

“But we didn’t need armoured tanks – trucks like a Brink’s truck, only more beefed up,” she said. “It was overkill. It was good to have all the undercover cops, the helicopters and the tracking dogs and the infrared and men up the mountain, going through the mountain like (with) a fine-tooth comb.”

— with files from Canadian Press