London

London man dead after police shooting during domestic violence call, teen fighting for her life

A London man is dead after a police shooting during a domestic violence call in the city's east end, the province's police watchdog says.

The man who was shot was 18 years old, the police watchdog says

A London police vehicle parked outside a town home. Yellow police tape is around the property.
A London police vehicle parked outside 86 Wellesley Cres., on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. The province's Special Investigations Unit said it is probing a shooting that happened at that location. (Kate Dubinski/CBC)

A teenager is fighting for her life in hospital and a London man is dead after a police shooting during a domestic disturbance call in the city's east end, the province's police watchdog says. 

Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is now investigating the incident, which happened on Wellesley Crescent, a small residential street near Trafalgar Street and Admiral Drive. 

"This is a nice neighbourhood, we've never had any real issues here," said one resident, Joe Fletcher, on Wednesday morning. 

Police were called to a duplex just before midnight, officials said, after getting a report that multiple people had been stabbed. 

Officers arrived to find an 18-year-old with a knife in his hand and a 17-year-old girl and 22-year-old man with stab wounds, a statement from the police watchdog said.   

"The man had stabbed a girl and man. A third man inside the residence was uninjured," the SIU said in a statement.

"There was an interaction with police and two officers discharged their firearms at the (18-year-old) man. [He] was taken to hospital where he was pronounced deceased." 

A 17-year-old girl is in hospital in critical condition and a 22-year-old man has been released from hospital. 

Fletcher said he and his wife were just getting ready for bed at around 11 p.m. when they and heard sirens on the usually quiet street. 

"We looked out our big window and all of a sudden we saw one car, then two cars, then three, then five. There must have been at least a dozen police cars and three emergency vehicles," he said. "I know I've read that domestic calls are the worst, because police never know what they're getting into." 

Another neighbour, who wouldn't give her name, said police have been called to the duplex on three other occasions in the last year. 

Police say the man who was shot and the two injured people knew each other. No police officers were injured. 

"While there will be an increased police presence in the area, there are no suspects outstanding and there is no ongoing risk to public safety," London police said. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kate Dubinski

Reporter/Editor

Kate Dubinski is a radio and digital reporter with CBC News in London, Ont. You can email her at kate.dubinski@cbc.ca.