PETERBOROUGH, Ont. – Ontario’s police watchdog is investigating the death of a 58-year-old man after a standoff in a Peterborough parking lot that forced a lockdown at a Walmart on Saturday.
Peterborough police said Saturday that they were trying to make contact with a man in a vehicle and were asking people to stay away.
Police confirmed the incident was over but are not commenting further because the Special Investigations Unit is now involved.
The watchdog agency is automatically called in when police are involved in an incident that results in death or serious injury.
The SIU tweeted on Sunday that they were investigating the death and said more information will be forthcoming. Local media reports suggested the man in the vehicle had a firearm but police have not confirmed that.
Police have not provided further details, but there were also reports that suggested hundreds of people were at the store at the time, though most were safely taken out through a back entrance.
Peterborough Paramedics Deputy Chief Chris Barry said Sunday that paramedics were called to provide “tactical standby” to police at 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Barry said two ambulances and a supervisor were waiting near the Walmart and at about 8:30 p.m. as a crew assessed a person without vital signs.
He said the person was not taken to hospital and one ambulance left after giving statements to the SIU.
Barry said the second ambulance went to the south entrance of the Walmart to assist any customers who required medical attention, but no injuries were reported.
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