A man accused of ramming his SUV into a parked police vehicle in Duncan May 12, has been charged with assaulting a police officer with a weapon.

Lunden Taylor Howard, born in 1994, also faces charges related to choking and breach of recognizance in Esquimalt earlier the same day.

According to the Duncan court registry, charges were sworn on the date of the offence and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. The registry shows the accused as not being in police custody at this time.

Howard was shot by a second officer and was transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The injured officer was also taken to hospital, then released over the weekend to continue his recovery at home, according to Dawn Roberts, director of BC RCMP communications.

鈥淣o timeframe on his return, but we are extremely grateful and fully supporting him around his recovery,鈥� she said.

Meanwhile, the organization that represents 20,000 members of the RCMP across Canada says more must be done to protect officers in the line of duty.

In a statement issued May 12, following the incident, NPF president and CEO Brian Sauv茅 said his organization 鈥渟trongly advocates for governments at all levels to address the root causes of crime, along with returning the RCMP to sustainable funding levels that enable our members to properly carry out their mandate.鈥�

The RCMP reported that at approximately 6:30 a.m. on May 12, a North Cowichan/Duncan officer was in the detachment parking lot preparing their vehicle for patrol duties, when a civilian vehicle entered the lot and struck the police vehicle injuring the officer.

Shortly thereafter, a second officer fired a service pistol, hitting the suspect.

鈥淎s always, our Members responded professionally and bravely protecting each other and the public, arresting the individual. The subject was injured during the incident, triggering an investigation by the Independent Investigations Office of B.C.,鈥� Sauv茅 said.

鈥淭his cannot continue,鈥� Sauv茅 said. 鈥淥ur members deserve and need stronger protections, and failing to provide them only undermines Canada鈥檚 public safety system. The NPF is preparing policy recommendations, including bail and parole reforms, to better protect RCMP members, all police, and the public they serve, to be released this summer.鈥�

Those with information they feel is relevant to the IIO鈥檚 investigation of the May 12 incident are asked to call the IIO witness line at 1-855-446-8477.

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