Police are asking the public for help in locating a 27-year-old man considered to be a person of interest in the shooting of two Mounties on a rural Alberta property.

The RCMP have described Sawyer Clarke Robison as a "high risk" individual who could be armed with long-barrelled weapons and should be considered dangerous.

He was seen leaving a residence in Killam, about 160 kilometres southeast of Edmonton, where the two Mounties were shot on Tuesday afternoon.

The Mounties were wounded in an exchange of gunfire while trying to execute a search warrant for an illegal .45-calibre handgun.

Robison is 6-foot-2 and about 200 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Police say he may be driving a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado with the Alberta licence plate number UZE 545.

Members of the public have been asked not to approach him. Instead, potential witnesses are encouraged to call an RCMP tip line at 1-780-385-3502.

However, police tried to reassure the nervous rural community that Robison isn't considered a danger to the public.

Still, RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Patrick Webb said police are hoping Robison will approach authorities on his own accord.

"It would be in Robison's best interests to call the nearest RCMP Detachment as soon as possible," he said in a release issued Wednesday.

According to the RCMP, at least one "civilian" died during Tuesday's shootout. The deceased has been identified as Brad Clarke, who was Robison's uncle.

CTV Edmonton's Scott Roberts reported that the shooting on Monday may be linked to a domestic disturbance call that came in the previous Friday at a trailer home a few kilometres away from the eventual crime scene.

Neighbour Jim Matthews said that several police cars were at the scene of the trailer and stayed there for up to 10 hours on Friday.

Police confirmed that they were called to the trailer after a physical threat. It's believed that the suspect in that disturbance then fled to the home where the shootings occurred three days later.

That unnamed suspect was in custody at the time of Monday's shooting.

The injured constables, Sheldon Shah and Sidney Gaudette, are expected to fully recover from their wounds. One is a five-year veteran, the other has been on the job for two years.

Shah was shot in the leg, the groin and the upper torso, which Gaudette was shot in the torso.

Several weapons were recovered at the home after officers surrounded it overnight Tuesday. Webb said that both of the Mounties are now recovering in hospital in Edmonton.

"They underwent surgery last night, that surgery was successful," he said, adding that both are now listed in stable condition.

"We are expecting that they will be able to fully recover from the shots that they sustained."

Some have said the incident is reminiscent of the shooting deaths of four RCMP officers near Mayerthorpe, Alta., in 2005. In that case, the gunman took aim at his victims while they were searching his marijuana grow-op.

Another pair of RCMP officers suffered gunshot wounds last December in a shootout near Breton, Alta., about a two-hour drive west of Killam. The two officers in that incident are said to be recovering from their injuries.

Alberta's solicitor general Jonathan Denis acknowledged the dangers that accompany police work.

"These people put their lives on the line everyday for us," he said, adding that he wants to thank the officers for their service.

"I am very happy that this is not another Mayerthorpe, both of our officers will survive."

Killam is a small farming community of about 1,000 people.