Ontario’s police watchdog has been called in to investigate a fatal shooting that occurred in Niagara Falls on Wednesday morning.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) says officers from the Ontario Provincial Police repeat offender parole enforcement (ROPE) squad were looking to arrest a man wanted on parole violations near Stanley Avenue and Peer Street at around 11:15 a.m. when the incident occurred.
The SIU says there was a struggle before an officer shot the man. The man was then taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
An officer was also taken to an area hospital for treatment of a serious injury.
Niagara Falls police noted in a release that the ROPE squad comprises officers from various police services from across the province, and while its officers did assist in the response, none were directly involved in Wednesday’s shooting.
The SIU is an independent agency that investigates incidents involving police that have resulted in death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.