The Special Investigations Unit is looking into the circumstances surrounding the death of a suspect after an officer discharged his firearm in southwestern Ontario early Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, a related OPP investigation has closed of a section of the westbound Highway 401.
According to the SIU, Chatham-Kent OPP were called about the theft of gas from a local gas station near Ridgetown at roughly 4:30 a.m.
The SIU says an officer responding to the call spotted the suspect vehicle and began to follow it.
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At some point while police were pursuing the vehicle, the suspect vehicle lost control and rolled into a ditch.
The SIU says “an interaction took place with a male occupant and the officer discharged his pistol” and that “the male was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced deceased.”
No other details about the deceased have been released and it is also unclear if deceased was the driver or a passenger.
OPP say “the investigation is anticipated to require several hours” and westbound lanes of the 401 are closed from Orford Road to Victoria Road. A detour route is in place.
The Special Investigations Unit is an arms-length agency that investigates reports of death, injury, sexual assault or the discharge of a firearm involving police in Ontario.
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