A man who was reportedly in crisis and allegedly attacked an officer with a knife has been fatally shot by a Toronto police officer, prompting an Ontario watchdog investigation.
Police were called to a building near the intersection of Yonge and Merton streets, south of the TTC’s Davisville subway station, around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday.
In a Toronto police Twitter post just before 10 p.m., officers reported receiving reports a man attacked a woman with a knife.
After police arrived, the update said the man went on to attack one of the responding officers before he was shot by an officer.
On Sunday, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) issued a statement to advise the 28-year-old man died in hospital.
The SIU added that paramedics initially called police for assistance and said a man was in distress.
Officers then went to the third floor of a condo building and located the man with a knife in the hallway, the SIU said.
The man reportedly approached and began stabbing an officer, who then, along with a second officer, fired conducted energy weapons at the man, the SIU said.
“When this proved to have no effect, the second officer discharged his firearm one time at the man,” the SIU statement said.
“The man was struck.”
The officer who was stabbed as well as three other officers were taken to hospital.
The SIU statement didn’t address reports that the man initially attacked a woman with a knife. Global News asked both the SIU and Toronto police if anyone else was injured other than the man and the officer who was stabbed, but did not receive clarification.
Three investigators and three forensic investigators have been assigned; one subject and four witness officers have been designated, the SIU said.
The SIU is an independent agency that investigates the conduct of officers who respond to incidents that may have ended with death, serious injury, sexual assault or with a gun being fired at someone.