SIU investigating after officers stun, shoot suspect holding knives
Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is investigating after a man was shot by police when he allegedly charged officers with knives in his hands.
Around 9:30 Tuesday night, police responded to a call about a man with knives in the 300-block of Dufferin Avenue in London, Ont.
Once on scene, the male suspect was located by the officers. The male then allegedly ran directly at the officers while brandishing knives.
As a result, the SIU says two officers discharged stun guns while a third discharged his firearm, causing serious but not life-threatening injuries. The man was being treated at Victoria Hospital for his injuries.
Nigel Richards was on a nearby balcony and heard what happened.
“We were out on his balcony, we heard a pop, pop, pop and thought it was fireworks, but nothing, no nothing came up, no lights or anything, and we didn’t really think anything. We heard some yelling and then next thing you know there was sirens everywhere, coming from every direction...Just chaos, with all the police, ambulances everywhere.”
Police investigate 100 metres east of Waterloo Street on Dufferin Avenue in London, Ont., Wednesday, July 28, 2021. (Marek Sutherland / CTV News)
The SIU says London police were responding to a domestic disturbance when the incident occurred.
Murray Faulkner, a former London police chief, says those kinds of calls can be unpredictable.
“It’s a very, very volatile situation, especially if the two disputing partners are in the same building.”
London police statistics released in March show use-of-force reports have been on the rise over the past five years, except for a big drop in 2019.
Faulkner says assaults against police officers have been increasing along with armed confrontations.
“As well as, unfortunately, assaults against police have been increasing. So then you compound that with the fact that in London, in 2020, there was about 62 more cases that police encountered someone who had a firearm, in which they had to draw their firearm. And there was around 27 more cases of individuals that were confronting police with knives.”
The SIU is asking anyone who may have information about the incident to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529 and anyone with video evidence is asked to upload it through the SIU website.
- With files from CTV News London's Marek Sutherland and Tammy Heisel
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Arrest made, manslaughter charge pending in 2022 death of Calgary toddler
Calgary police have arrested a man and a charge is pending in connection with the death of a toddler in 2022.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Some customers steaming after McDonald's ends free hot drink sticker program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Prince William returns to public duties after wife Kate's cancer revelation
Prince William will return to public duties on Thursday for the first time since his wife Kate revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer.