Watchdog investigating after transit police shoot assault suspect in downtown Vancouver
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.
The federal Liberals are withdrawing an amendment to their guns bill that introduced a controversial new definition of an assault-style weapon. The amendment would have defined what kind of firearms should be banned in Canada and added dozens of new semi-automatic rifles and shotguns to the list.
Medicago Inc., the Quebec-based drug manufacturer of a Canadian COVID-19 vaccine and other plant-based drugs, is being shut down by parent company Mitsubishi Chemical Group.
The Department of National Defence says Canada is working with the United States to protect sensitive information from foreign intelligence threats after a high-altitude surveillance balloon was detected.
Hundreds of customers who scan QR codes for restaurant menus across Canada are being surprised by secret menus instead, revealing the hidden costs behind the food they eat.
The post-apocalyptic TV adaptation of the video game The Last of Us has some wondering about the real-life possibility of a global pandemic caused by fungus, and one expert says it’s not a concept to dismiss.
Canada's egg industry appears to be quietly sidestepping widespread shortages and wildly spiking prices affecting other countries, and some say supply management is to thank.
British Columbia Premier David Eby says he's going into next week's health-care meeting between the premiers and prime minister with an open mind — and without a red line dollar ask for the federal government.
Big tech companies that offer online streaming services could soon be required to contribute to Canadian content as a controversial Liberal bill gets one step closer to becoming law.
A teenager in Nanaimo, B.C., is being hailed as a hero by his family after a would-be robber entered their business and the boy scared him off with a baseball bat.
The tight-knit community of Quadra Island, B.C., is grieving the death of 39-year-old Jessica McLaggan, whose death is being investigated as a homicide.
With a wind warning in effect for Metro Vancouver, BC Ferries has cancelled at least two sailings scheduled for Friday and says nearly two dozen more may follow suit.
The federal Liberals are withdrawing an amendment to their guns bill that introduced a controversial new definition of an assault-style weapon. The amendment would have defined what kind of firearms should be banned in Canada and added dozens of new semi-automatic rifles and shotguns to the list.
Officials with a multi-year pilot project that helps Calgary's homeless find shelter during blasts of cold weather say the initiative is paying dividends.
A former Edmonton Police Service officer believes bringing Alberta Sheriffs into downtown Edmonton is a risky plan that has the potential to backfire if not done properly.
The federal Liberals are withdrawing an amendment to their guns bill that introduced a controversial new definition of an assault-style weapon. The amendment would have defined what kind of firearms should be banned in Canada and added dozens of new semi-automatic rifles and shotguns to the list.
Helicopter video has captured the dramatic moment three people entered a Scotiabank east of Toronto during an alleged armed robbery before being swarmed by police as they tried to escape.
A Quebec woman’s eyes welled with tears as she picked up her stolen Audi from an Ontario auto shop, not far from where her car smashed through the glass doors of a mall in an 'audacious' theft.
The Montreal fire department is advising people to avoid Sherbrooke Street East at Carignan Avenue in the Longue Pointe neighbourhood as a five-alarm fire is burning.
Hydro-Québec is asking its customers to take a few steps to reduce electricity consumption in Quebec as a period of intense cold weather began Thursday night in most regions. The utility predicts that on Friday and Saturday, electricity demand could exceed the historical peak consumption, which was about 40,500 megawatts (MW) in January 2022.
A beloved man who was a fixture on the streets of Montreal's Notre-Dame-de-Grace neighbourhood died last year from a combination of street drugs in his system, including fentanyl, a coroner has ruled.
Aaron Benneweis, 46, has been charged by Saskatoon Police with sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a minor while in a position of trust or authority.
The provincial government is looking for ways to ease the workload for Saskatchewan doctors. It is proposing that pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and paramedics play a greater role in treating patients.
The federal Liberals are withdrawing an amendment to their guns bill that introduced a controversial new definition of an assault-style weapon. The amendment would have defined what kind of firearms should be banned in Canada and added dozens of new semi-automatic rifles and shotguns to the list.
A former high school teacher who skipped out on his sentencing hearing for sex-related crimes and was re-captured almost a week later will be back in a London courtroom next week.
Highway 11 in northern Ontario reopened Thursday afternoon after a collision involving several vehicles prompted police to close the road from Highway 66 near Kenogami Lake to Matheson for several hours.
The number of homes sold in January across Waterloo Region was “exceptionally low” with the region seeing a 41.9 per cent decrease in sales compared to January 2022.
