SIU invokes mandate after officer fires gun in Kitchener
Posted Oct 25, 2023 10:33:02 AM.
Last Updated Oct 26, 2023 07:21:16 AM.
There was an increased police presence in Kitchener on Wednesday morning.
In a media briefing, WRPS Inspector Tanya Klingenberg said police were called to the Veronica Drive area of Kitchener at around 9:45 a.m. for a call for service.
“An officer had an interaction with an adult male,” she said. “The interaction resulted in the officer discharging their firearm. The person sustained injuries and have been transported to hospital.”
Klingenberg said as a result of the incident, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) was notified. Klingenberg said the SIU has invoked their mandate. WRPS could not confirm the extent of the injuries or provide further details of the interaction. Klingenberg could not confirm why WRPS were in the area in the first place.
“Any further comments or inquiries about the incident will be from the SIU as a result of their invoking their mandate.”
In a media release Wednesday afternoon, the SIU said police received a call about a 29-year-old man sleeping in a vehicle when the officers responding to the call had an interaction with him.
“Officers approached the man in the vehicle, and there was an interaction. An officer shot his firearm at the vehicle, striking the man,” said the release.
In an interview with CityNews 570, Kristy Denette, spokesperson with the SIU said the 29-year-old man fled in a vehicle down a pedestrian trail in the area.
“He ended up down a pedestrian trail from what I understand and came to a stop where he would have been arrested and taken to hospital for his injuries,” said Denette.
Tommy was a witness to the incident and told CityNews 570 he saw the man driving a SUV. He said the man was going 60 kilometres per hour on when the SUV hit a speed bump on the street.
“It was pretty wild, it was like out of a movie scene, seeing him fly across the road there,” Tommy said. “Thank god there was no one coming up the trail because there was no way he could have stopped.”
Police said there is no concern for public safety. Klingenberg said they don’t believe there are any outstanding suspects.
They are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident to call police or the SIU. The SIU said three investigators and two forensic investigators have been assigned to the case. One subject official and three witness officials have been designated at this time.
