Police shooting, car fire, shut down Hastings and Cassiar

The Vancouver Police Department says a 28-year-old man has been arrested and taken to hospital after being shot by police near Hastings and Cassiar in Vancouver.

In an emailed statement, the VPD says officers were responding to reports of a sedan engulfed in flames in a McDonald's parking lot. When they arrived, police say they were confronted by a man armed with a knife.

"The man allegedly came at the officers and shots were fired. He was taken into custody and transported to hospital for gunshot and stab wounds," said Const. Brian Montague.

Montague says the man is in stable condition in hospital suffering from non-life-threatening gunshot and stab wounds.

He says the same man is also "associated" with the burning car, which was in flames just metres away from where police took the man down.

"Police are expected to be in the area for several hours and the public are asked to avoid the area," said Const. Brian Montague in an emailed statement.

The Independent Investigations Office (IIO), the civilian agency responsible for investigating serious police incidents, has sent a team to the area.

The VPD is reporting the following road closures:

• East Hastings eastbound at Renfrew Street.
• Highway 1 westbound East Hastings off-ramp.
• Highway 1 eastbound East Hastings off-ramp.

Montague says police will provide further details "at a later time."

Jonathan Gormick with Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services confirmed there was a car fire at the 3400 block of East Hastings, near the scene of the shooting, but could not say whether or not the fire was related to it.

He said fire investigators have been sent to the scene to determine the cause of the fire.

Martin Youssef with the Independent Investigations Office says investigators with that office are on the scene to begin an investigation.