Man shot and killed by Bathurst police after 'incident,' RCMP say
Nova Scotia RCMP won't say whether results of their ongoing investigation will be made public
A preliminary investigation into a fatal shooting in Bathurst on Monday has determined "shots were fired by police following an incident," say Nova Scotia RCMP.
The man from Tracadie was fatally wounded by police "as part of an ongoing investigation," RCMP Sgt. Alain LeBlanc said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.
LeBlanc declined to discuss the nature of that investigation, or say whether the victim was known to police.
Given the investigation is in its early stages, RCMP are not able to release a lot of information at this time.- Nova Scotia RCMP Sgt. Alain LeBlanc
He also declined to say how many shots were fired.
"Given the investigation is in its early stages, RCMP are not able to release a lot of information at this time," LeBlanc said.
A team of major crime investigators is currently in Bathurst to conduct the investigation, he said.
LeBlanc would not say whether the results of the investigation would be made public.
"RCMP are not in a position to release the name of the man," who was transported to the Chaleur Regional Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, said LeBlanc.
But Annick Basque told CBC News the victim was her husband, Michel Vienneau.
Basque claims police shot the wrong man.
She said she and her husband got off a train from Montreal when a group of men approached their car shouting. She claims they did not know the men were police and in the confusion, their car hit an officer before shots were fired.
Bathurst police have not confirmed the woman's allegations. Nova Scotia RCMP Sgt Alain LeBlanc addressed the media Tuesday afternoon.
"Our preliminary investigation determines shots were fired by police as a result of an incident and at this time I can confirm that Nova Scotia RCMP are conducting an investigation into this incident. We have approximately eight major crime investigators from Nova Scotia that are here on the ground to conduct this investigation," he said.
LeBlanc did not answer any questions about the original investigation, directing reporters to Bathurst Police for more details. He said NS RCMP would be on site for a few more days, but would not say if their finding would be made public.
He did confirm that the officers involved have been re-assigned to administrative duties pending the outcome of the investigation.
The Via Rail station remained cordoned off by yellow caution tape on Tuesday. Police could not say when the train station would reopen.