ADVERTISEMENT

Hamilton

Man shot by police in Hamilton has died, victim did ‘not appear’ to fire a gun, says SIU

The SIU says says it does 'not appear' that the victim fired a gun during the interaction with police.

A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Saturday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province’s police watchdog.

On Sunday, Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) released new information about the incident, which happened shortly after 5 p.m. at an apartment building at 1964 Main St. W., just south of Osler St., in the Ainslie Wood West neighbourhood.

The civilian agency said that a resident had contacted Hamilton Police Service (HPS) to report a man “acting in a threatening manner.”

While on the 5th floor, police got into some sort of interaction with a person of interest and two officers fired their guns striking the man, the SIU said.

The victim, who has only been identified as a 43-year-old man, was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries. He was pronounced dead at 12:47 a.m. on Sunday.

An autopsy is scheduled to take place on Monday morning in Toronto to determine his exact cause of death.

The SIU, which was called in and invoked its mandate shortly after the shooting, has also revealed that based on what they’ve learned through their investigation, that it “does not appear” that the person of interest fired a gun.

They also said that a police officer who had been injured in the incident, has been released from the hospital after receiving treatment for minor injuries.

Six investigators and two forensic investigators have been assigned to the case. Two subject officials and two witness officials have been designated to this investigation.

The SIU, which is called in to investigate when police are involved in an incident that results in death, serious injury, sexual assault, and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person, is asking anyone who may have information about this investigation, including video or photos, to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529 or online.