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.
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.