B.C.’s police watchdog is investigating after a man was shot and killed by RCMP officers in Nanaimo on Saturday.
Police were called about 2 p.m. Saturday for reports of a confrontation between a man and woman outside of a vehicle stopped in the middle of Haliburton Street near Highview Terrace.
Once officers arrived, the man allegedly produced a weapon, according to RCMP.
“Shots were fired by police and the man was injured,” said a statement released by Nanaimo RCMP. “B.C. Emergency Health Services attended, however, despite all efforts, the man died at the scene.”
No one else was injured in the incident, police said.
The area remains closed while the investigation is underway.
According to a statement from the Independent Investigations Office of B.C., which investigates all police-involved injuries and deaths in the province, “there was an altercation between a responding officer and the male, during which the officer discharged his firearm.”
Police have identified the man and confirm that the couple were known to each other.
The man’s family has been notified of his death, the IIO said.
The IIO, a civilian-led police oversight agency, will investigate to determine how police actions contributed to the man’s death.
