Man shot and killed by Bathurst police during investigation
Name of 51-year-old, who was fatally wounded near Via Rail station, has not been released
A 51-year-old man was shot and killed by police in Bathurst on Monday and many questions are being asked about the circumstances leading to the incident.
The man from Tracadie was fatally wounded at about 11:25 a.m., while police were "conducting an investigation," Bathurst police said in a statement.
It occurred near the Via Rail station in the northern New Brunswick city.
The name of the deceased is not being released until his family has been notified, but a woman who has identified herself as the man's partner, claims police shot the wrong man.
She, who did not want to give her name, told reporters they 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.
Several police officers responded to the Via Rail station in marked and unmarked vehicles, as well as a forensics van.
Roger St-Onge lives just metres from the site.
"People around here heard three gunshots," he said. "It's shaky, you know, like things happen in a small place like this. Scary."
Ryan Ouelette says he saw more police activity.
"I seen, you know, several police officers trying to resuscitate somebody and I seen somebody else get arrested and taken away," he explained.
Late in the day Monday, Bathurst Police Force Chief Eugène Poitras, made a brief statement.
"On January 12th, 2015, police fatally wounded a 51 year-old male while conducting an investigation. The male suspect was brought to Chaleur Regional Hospital where he was later pronounced dead," he said.
H Division RCMP in Nova Scotia are now investigating.