Watchdog investigating after transit police shoot assault suspect in downtown Vancouver
A man who was shot by police in Vancouver’s Gastown Monday had allegedly gone on a violent assault spree and brandished a weapon, according to the Vancouver Police Department.
The VPD, along with the Metro Vancouver Transit Police, were called to West Cordova street near Cambie at around 10:15 p.m
“Officers from both departments engaged the suspect and shots were fired by Metro Vancouver Transit Police,” said Cst. Amanda Steed of the MVTP.
According to the VPD, the suspect had attacked several people before officers showed up.
"We had a report that a woman was slapped in the face, we had a report that this man approached a cyclist and assaulted the cyclist,” said Sgt. Steve Addison of the VPD.
“We believe the man tried to start a fight in front of the Metropole pub,” he added.
The 23-year-old suspect was taken to hospital and is expected to survive, while no police officers were injured.
Neither police force would say what type of weapon the man was allegedly wielding.
"We don’t want to disclose at this point what it was reported to have been because when people come forward we need to make sure what they're saying comes from their own memories and their own versions,” said Addison
“We don’t need to plant ideas in their head,”
The Independent Investigations Office has begun a probe into the shooting.
"What was the interaction between the individual and the police? What if anything did the individual do that justified the use of potentially lethal force against him? said Ronald MacDonald, the IIO's chief civilian investigator.
“Those are the very questions that we're asking.”
Anyone with information or video of the incident is asked to contact the IIO at 1-855-446-8477
VPD’s major crimes unit is now investigating the alleged offences by the suspect before the shooting, Any witnesses or victims who have not yet spoken to police are urged to call 604-717-2541.
Correction
A previous version of this article reported that Vancouver police were involved in the shooting. Sgt. Steve Addison of the Vancouver Police Department confirmed it was a member of the Metro Vancouver Transit Police who shot the suspect.
MVTP originally reported that the suspect in this incident was 38-years old. It has since been confirmed that he is actually 23-years old.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.