An Ontario Provincial Police officer fatally shot a 26-year-old man who allegedly stabbed him during an interaction in Orillia Thursday afternoon, the province’s police watchdog said.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said OPP officers were called to a home on Barrie Road around 2 p.m. for a disturbance.
Officers arrived and later located a man who matched a description of the individual involved in the disturbance near Cochrane Street and Matchedash Street South, the SIU said.
Kristy Denette, a spokesperson for the SIU, told reporters at the scene that there was an interaction between police and the man, who had an edged weapon.
She said an officer was stabbed, and the officer discharged his firearm at the man multiple times. Denette added that another officer deployed his conducted energy weapon during the interaction.
The man was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The SIU said a post-mortem examination is scheduled for Friday.
Denette said investigators haven’t located the man’s next of kin.
Meanwhile, the officer who was stabbed sustained serious injuries and was also transported to the hospital, where he is in stable condition.
The SIU has assigned five investigators and three forensic investigators to the case.
“It’s always concerning when there’s a discharge of firearm and obviously when there’s an individual who’s deceased. So that prompts the SIU to investigate,” Denette said.
“So, there will be a thorough investigation. Those investigations we aim to complete within 120 days and there will be updates at the conclusion of the investigation.”
The SIU is asking anyone with information to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529 or online at https://siu.on.ca/en/appeals.php.