A police-involved shooting briefly shut down the entire SkyTrain system Monday morning.
Vancouver Police say a man with a machete was shot by officers at the 29th Avenue SkyTrain station. VPD were assisting Transit Police who called them around 9 a.m. after reports of a man with a knife.
Witnesses said the man was on a train heading towards Metrotown when he got off at 29th Avenue and seemed to be very agitated.
WATCH: Man shot by police at SkyTrain station in Vancouver
Transit police officers located the man in a SkyTrain car and evacuated the train and the surrounding area, then closed the doors to the car, isolating the man inside. VPD officers were called in and as negotiations continued, the man broke his way out through the closed train doors with the machete.
“He refused to follow police directions to drop the weapon and was shot by a VPD officer,” Const. Jason Doucette said.
The suspect is in hospital in serious but stable condition. Police have identified the man but his name will not be released until criminal charges are laid.
The VPD is asking anyone who witnessed the incident or captured it on their cell phones to contact their Major Crimes section at 604-717-2541.
The Independent Investigations Office, a civilian-led body that responds to incidents of serious injury or death involving police officers, has been notified.
WATCH: Reporter Jordan Armstrong speaks with witnesses at Vancouver’s 29th Avenue SkyTrain Station
Bus service to the area was diverted for hours and trains passed through the station without stopping to allow the police watchdog to investigate, Transit Police spokesperson Anne Drennan said. The station reopened later on Monday afternoon.
The closure added to huge delays on the SkyTrain network today, which was already seeing huge delays due to the snow and rain.
-With files from Aaron McArthur, Jon Azpiri and The Canadian Press
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