North

Quebec's police watchdog investigating after knife-wielding man shot dead in northern Quebec

Seven members of the BEI have been dispatched to the village of Umiujaq to investigate. A forensic identification technician from the Sûreté du Québec will assist.

Watchdog says man was armed and heading toward community centre when police tried to stop him

Umiujaq is on the edge of the Hudson Bay in northern Quebec. (CBC)

Quebec's police watchdog (BEI) has assigned a team to investigate after a 22-year-old man was shot and killed by police in northern Quebec.

The shooting happened in Umiujaq, a village on the eastern shore of Hudson Bay in Nunavik, though it is not clear when.

According to the BEI, police went to the man's house to arrest him, where the man refused to follow police. While one officer remained, the other officer went back to get a warrant to enter the home, the BEI says. 

That's when the man, armed with a knife, headed to the local community centre where an activity was taking place, when police tried to stop him.

He started heading toward them, and police fired at him.

He was taken to hospital, where he died. The man has not been identified.

Seven members of the BEI have been dispatched to the village to investigate. A forensic identification technician from the Sûreté du Québec will assist.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the BEI through their website.