A 49-year-old man is dead after he was shot by a Niagara Parks Police officer underneath the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls on Monday afternoon, the Special Investigations Unit says.
In a news release issued Monday, the SIU said that two Niagara Parks Police officers were called to the area of Hiram Street and River Road for a “nuisance call” involving a man at around 2:15 p.m.
The SIU said that the man discharged bear spray at the officers and that he also had an edged weapon.
“There was an interaction, and an officer discharged his firearm at the man,” the SIU said in its release.
The man was subsequently pronounced dead at the scene, the agency said.
The SIU did not initially confirm the nature of the man’s injuries but later clarified that he was shot by Niagara Parks Police.
Both officers were taken to hospital to be treated fir unspecified injuries.
Three investigators and two forensic investigators have been assigned to the case. An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday.
“One subject official and five witness officials have been designated at this time,” the SIU statement read.
The SIU is called in to investigate whenever police are involved in a death, serious injury, or allegation of sexual assault.
Niagara Regional Police said there were several road closures in effect in the area due to the police investigation.
