Windsor police shoot suspect in downtown weapons call & More Latest News Here – Up Jobs

Article content

Windsor police shot and killed a 70-year-old man Monday in a violent confrontation that began with officers responding to calls about someone attacking moving vehicles with a machete.

Article content

It happened shortly after 2 p.m. at the intersection of Ouellette Avenue and Wyandotte Street.

“For a four- or- five minute period, this guy was right in the middle of the intersection blocking all four ways,” said Wayne Craig, who called 911. “Then he would yell and scream ‘this is my intersection, this is my f-ing intersection,’ waving that knife. He took each direction on at different times in the four or five minutes. He would go after a vehicle with the knife or sword or whatever it is, slashing at people and they’d swerve away.”

The man was taken to hospital in critical condition. Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) confirmed Monday night that the man died from his injuries.

The SIU, an independent government agency that probes death, sexual assault or serious injury involving police, has taken over the case. Six investigators, including three forensic specialists, are looking into what happened.

Article content

The SIU said Windsor police officers were called to the intersection around 2:30 p.m. for a man “wielding a machete and threatening people.”

“There was an interaction between the man and the officers during which one officer deployed a Conducted Energy Weapon and another officer shot the man,” the SIU said in a media release.

Paramedics took the man to hospital.

Windsor police held the scene for hours, interviewing potential witnesses and waiting for the SIU investigators to arrive.

Officers used vehicles and yellow crime scene tape to shut down Ouellette and Wyandotte in all four directions about a block away from the intersection.

A bullet casing and machete were lying on Wyandotte just west of the intersection next to some evidence markers.

Article content

Two Windsor police bicycles were rested on kickstands next to the curb.

Windsor police also confirmed on Twitter shortly before 3 p.m. that an officer had shot a man after responding to a report of a person with a weapon.

The man, who had a surgical mask over his face and wore a bright orange safety shirt with silver and grey reflective stripes, was swinging the machete at vehicles in the middle of downtown traffic.

Two officers on bicycles were the first to arrive, according to witnesses.

Craig said he lost sight of the man behind a truck that had pulled up. But it sounded like the person was hitting the vehicle with the knife, he said.

That’s when Craig heard an “unbelievable bang.”

“I couldn’t see with the white truck there if he came at the cops,” he said.

Article content

Other bystanders said the man charged the officers. They yelled at him to drop the weapon before first trying to subdue him with a taser.

“The police were giving him some warning but he didn’t stop,” said Raj Bhalodwala, who stumbled upon the scene after walking out of a nearby business. “That’s why he was shot with the electric gun. He was so angry. The guy was so angry.”

Kevin Burton said he watched from a city bus as the man advance toward officers with a large weapon before suddenly dropping to the asphalt.

“I just saw somebody was agitated, heading toward the police, then this all happened,” he said after giving a statement to a Windsor police officer.

After the shooting, officers rushed to restrain the man, who was lying on his back with the machete a few feet away.

Roger Baz was working at the parking lot booth at the corner of Wyandotte and Pelissier Street when he heard some yelling around the corner. He ran over to check it out.

“Then all of a sudden I heard a crack, like one gunshot,” said Baz. “Then within a minute, there was like 10 cop cars. I couldn’t believe how fast they got here.”

The SIU is urging anyone with information about the shooting, including videos or photos, to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529. Witnesses can also file a statement online through the SIU website.

[email protected]

twitter.com/wstarcampbell