Man dies after police shooting outside Montreal bus station
Sûreté du Québec takes over investigation of shooting death
A man has died after being shot by police outside Montreal's central bus station near the corner of Berri and Ontario streets Monday morning.
The incident occurred just after 10:30 a.m.
Live television coverage showed first responders performing CPR on the man before placing him in an ambulance.
"Police officers shot at least one time toward the suspect. They hit him," said Const. Dany Richer with the Montreal police force.
A number of officers were treated for shock.
The Sûreté du Québec took over the investigation at the request of Quebec's Minister of Public Security. It is standard practice to turn a case over to another police force, whenever a police weapon is discharged or a civilian is hurt in the course of a police intervention.
The SQ confirmed the man's death within a few minutes of taking over the file.
Witness shared a room with man who was shot
Earlier, Richer said that police are looking for a witness who they believe may have been attacked by the man. Witnesses said the man had been wielding a hammer.
One witness, Calvin Sims, told CBC News that the man had broken windows at a nearby hotel and threatened employees and guests before he was confronted by police.
"At around 9:30 a.m., everyone was awoken by bang, bang, bang on the door. He was bashing the bathroom door with a hammer."
Sims said he had been sharing dorm-style hostel accommodations with the man at the hotel over the past few days.
"I met him on Friday — nice guy. I talked to him, I sat with him. He was a friend — I invited him out. Now this!" Sims said, adding that the man only started acting aggressively this morning.
Police closed Berri Street between Ontario Street and de Maisonneuve Boulevard East for several hours.
Do you have eyewitness video or photos of this incident? Please email them to webquebec@cbc.ca