Man dead in police-involved shooting in Kitchener, SIU investigation underway
SIU says officers encountered a man holding an 'edged weapon' upon arrival
A 31-year-old man is dead after being shot by a police officer in Kitchener Monday night.
Waterloo regional police reported a heavy police presence in the area of Brybeck Crescent and Karn Street just after 10 p.m. Monday night and asked people to avoid the area in a post on the social media website X, formerly Twitter.
A follow-up post just before 11 p.m. said there had been a shooting and the province's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) had invoked its mandate and as such, the police service would not provide further updates.
The SIU said in a media release Tuesday morning that officers had been called to a home for a disturbance call shortly before 9 p.m. Monday.
"Upon arriving at the scene, officers encountered a man holding an edged weapon," the SIU release said. "There was an interaction and one officer discharged his firearm. The man was struck."
The 31-year-old man was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The SIU said three investigators and two forensic investigators have been assigned to the case. Anyone with information about the case, including photos or videos, is asked to contact the lead investigator through the SIU.
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates police conduct that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and the discharge of a firearm at a person.