Vancouver police say the suspect gunned down by an officer Monday night was wielding a knife, but won’t confirm whether the officer’s life was in immediate danger.
Sgt. Randy Fincham revealed few details Tuesday about the shooting, which took place at around 8:15 p.m. in front of a McDonald’s restaurant on East Hastings Street, but said the officer involved was responding to reports of windows being smashed nearby.
“When the first officer arrived he was confronted by a man that produced a knife, and the man was subsequently shot,” Fincham said.
It is unclear whether the suspect, who is known to police, charged at the officer.
One witness, who asked not to be identified, told CTV News the suspect tried to get into her building before smashing a window with a metal bar. She said he appeared to be on drugs and agitated.
None of that information has been confirmed by the Independent Investigations Office tasked with determining whether the officer’s actions were justified, however.
IIO investigators spent much of Monday night and Tuesday interviewing 18 witnesses and gathering evidence at the scene, including a knife and the officer’s gun.
But IIO chief civilian director Richard Rosenthal said there’s no reason to rush information about how the situation escalated out to the public.
“I actually think that if I were going out and providing too much information, I would legitimately be criticized for jumping to conclusions before the investigation is complete,” Rosenthal said.
It could take several months before the probe is concluded, he said.
With a report from CTV British Columbia’s Scott Roberts
