Hamilton

Police watchdog investigating Hamilton shooting involving officer that left man dead

A 43-year-old man is dead after being shot by police at a west-end Hamilton apartment building Saturday, in an incident which also sent an officer to hospital, Ontario's police watchdog says. 

Shooting happened at a Main Street W. apartment building Saturday afternoon, police say

police talk at van
Hamilton police work outside an apartment building on Main Street West following a shooting on Nov. 9, 2024. (Andrew Collins)

A 43-year-old man is dead after being shot by police at a west-end Hamilton apartment building Saturday, in an incident which also sent an officer to hospital, Ontario's police watchdog says. 

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said it's investigating the shooting that took place around 5 p.m. at an apartment building on Main Street W. 

Hamilton police were called to the building after a resident reported a man was acting in a "threatening manner," said the SIU in a news release.

Officers went to the fifth floor and "at some point, they became involved in an interaction with a man," the SIU said. 

The SIU initially said there was an exchange of gunfire, "resulting in both the man and officer suffering gunshot wounds."

However, an update sent by the police watchdog after 7 p.m. says that, based on further investigation, it does not appear the man discharged a firearm. 

police on dark street blocked off with caution tape
Police were on scene after a man and officer were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds. (Andrew Collins)

Hamilton police posted on social media Saturday that the officer was confronted by a man with a gun. 

The officer sustained non-life-threatening injuries, while the man was in a life-threatening condition, Hamilton police said.

SIU said the man passed away in hospital just before 1 a.m. Sunday. 

The officer has since been released, SIU said. 

Six SIU investigators and two forensic investigators are looking into what happened.

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of police officers in incidents that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault or the discharge of a firearm at a person.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Samantha Beattie is a reporter for CBC Hamilton. She has also worked for CBC Toronto and as a Senior Reporter at HuffPost Canada. Before that, she dived into local politics as a Toronto Star reporter covering city hall.