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Angus David Mitchell was shot in the confrontation in rural B.C., about three hours after police issued a public warning about him.Police handout

The firearm seized from Angus David Mitchell after he was killed in a shootout with RCMP this week was the same firearm used in both a double homicide and an attempted murder.

RCMP issued a public warning about Mr. Mitchell on Wednesday, saying he was linked to two shootings in Burnaby. The first incident was a double slaying inside a sushi restaurant, while the second was the attempted murder of Mr. Mitchell's former landlord.

Mr. Mitchell's green Ford Aerostar was spotted in Maple Ridge about one hour after the RCMP warning. RCMP have said that when officers ordered Mr. Mitchell out of his vehicle, he exited holding his high-powered rifle.

Sergeant Jennifer Pound, spokeswoman for the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, said Friday that forensic testing has confirmed Mr. Mitchell's weapon was used in both Burnaby shootings.

"While these details certainly suggest Mitchell was the shooter in both Burnaby cases, it does not mean the investigations are concluded; IHIT investigators will continue to work long hours to ensure they have collected as much relevant evidence as possible," Sgt. Pound wrote in a statement. "Only when all of the evidence has been collected will IHIT comment on the identity of the shooter in the double homicide. No motive has yet been established for this tragic event."

Sgt. Pound's statement came the same day Victoria police confirmed they had a run-in with Mr. Mitchell earlier this year.

Constable Michael Russell, a Victoria police spokesman, said officers dealt with Mr. Mitchell in relation to a Mental Health Act incident in February. He said the incident resulted in the seizure of a firearm, and Mr. Mitchell later made an application to have the firearm returned to him. The application was successful.

The Vancouver Police Department is already investigating the RCMP shootout. Vancouver spokeswoman Constable Jana McGuinness said Friday her force has also been asked by the Victoria department to review the circumstances in which the firearm was returned.

Mr. Mitchell, who was 26, formerly worked as a security guard in Vancouver, Victoria, and Alberta. He is from the northern Okanagan community of Vernon.

When RCMP issued their warning about Mr. Mitchell, the force said he was "emotionally unstable."

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