KAWARTHA LAKES-The Special Investigations Unit (SIU)says investigators have recovered a pistol and a semi-automatic rifle from the scene of a fatal police police-involved shooting in Haliburton Highlands.
According to the SIU the firearms of two police officers were also taken into evidence.
At approximately 9:25 a.m. on July 15th OPP was notified that a 73-year-old man had allegedly assaulted individuals at a Valu-mart grocery store on Highway 35 in Minden. The man then left the grocery store in a vehicle. The SUI says an officer observed the vehicle and commenced following it for a short period of time and based on a query of the vehicle’s licence plate, officers made their way to a residence on Indian Point Road. Outside the residence, there was an interaction with the man and two officers discharged their firearms according to the SIU. The man was struck. He was transported to hospital where he was pronounced deceased at 11:47 a.m.
The man had refused to wear a mask and allegedly assaulted a grocery store employee before driving away, Ontario Provincial Police say.
Investigators are continuing to search the scene Thursday, the SIU said, and also making attempts to locate the man’s next of kin. A post-mortem is set to be conducted Friday morning.
Four OPP officers have been designated witnesses to the shooting, and arrangements for interviews are underway according to the SIU
The SIU is an arm’s length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.
