Mathew Auchterlonie applied to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) on an undisclosed date but did not pass the proficiency test required to join, the spokesperson told CHEK News. However, in 2018, Auchterlonie completed CAF’s Soldier for a Day scheme, which encourages anyone aged 15 and over to take part. “As the name suggests, the program lasts for one day and participants are provided with a certificate at the end as a memento. It is not an educational activity, but more of a simple open house,” the spokesperson said in an email to CHEK News. Mathew and his brother Issac Auchterlonie, both 22, were identified as the suspects involved in the June 28 brawl outside the BMO bank on Shelbourne Street. They were twin brothers who former classmates say went to Frances Kelsey Secondary School in Mill Bay. READ MORE: Twin brothers from Duncan identified as suspects in Saanich bank robbery “Neither Isaac nor Matthew [sic] Auchterlonie, have ever been part of the Canadian Armed Forces in any way,” the CAF spokesperson added. On Saturday, Cpl. Alex Bérubé with the BCMP confirmed that the pair were not known to police prior to the incident, noting that neither had a criminal record with their motive yet to be determined. Isaac’s now-deleted Instagram feed had a pattern of language against the federal government and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, including photos of bullets and posts that often focused on gun control. READ MORE: Justin Trudeau frequent focus of Sanic shooter’s Instagram posts It was around 11am when officers from Saanich Police, VicPD and the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (GVERT) responded to BMO after a call that two armed men had entered the bank. When multiple officers responded to the scene, the suspects began shooting at the police, causing a standoff. The pair were eventually shot dead by police, as six GVERT officers — three from Saanich police and three from VicPD — suffered gunshot wounds. All six officers were rushed to hospital, three of whom required surgery. -With files from Oli Herrera
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