Ontario’s police watchdog says a 30-year-old man has died after a shooting involving police officers outside the Elmvale Acres Shopping Centre in Ottawa on Thursday morning.
A police officer also sustained minor injuries in the confrontation, which Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is now probing.
Shortly before 8 a.m., Ottawa police responded to reports of an armed man near the strip mall, located off St. Laurent Boulevard, according to a news release issued by the SIU on Thursday afternoon.
Two officers arrived on scene and there was an “interaction” between them and the man on the mall property, according to the statement.
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“At least one police officer discharged his firearm and the man was struck,” the release said.
Ottawa police said Thursday morning that the man, who remains unidentified, was taken to hospital with critical, life-threatening injuries. The SIU said the man was pronounced dead in hospital.
The injured officer has since been released from hospital, as well as the second officer involved in the incident, who was taken in for an assessment.
Ottawa police and the SIU did not report any other injuries.
The SIU says it investigates “death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault in incidents involving the police.” The arms-length agency can lay criminal charges against an officer if the evidence warrants it.
OC Transpo says the Elmvale transit station, located east of downtown Ottawa, is closed until further notice.
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