SIU investigating after man, 62, shot and killed by police

The province's police watchdog is investigating the death of a 62-year-old man who was shot by a Peel police officer in Mississauga on Saturday evening.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said that officers were called to an apartment unit at 3425 Morning Star Drive, near Goreway Drive, at around 5 p.m. to "check on the well-being of a man."

Peel police Const. Sarah Patten said the initial call reported that the man was suffering from a medical condition and not taking his medication.

Patten says the man, who was alone in the unit, was in a "state of crisis" and believed to have weapons on him in his residence.

Muhammed Choudry says the victim was his uncle and he suffered from schizophrenia and other illnesses.

"He was a harmless man," he said, adding that his uncle was "not a threat."

Uniform and tactical officers, as well as officers with the force's K9 unit, responded to the incident and made communication with the man, who had barricaded himself within the residence.

Patten said officers were in constant communication with the man until just before 8 p.m., and then "no further communication was able to be made."

"The state of crisis that he was in and the belief that he had access to weapons, yes, we believe that he was a danger to himself," Patten told reporters Saturday night.

Due to his "extensive medical history" and lack of communication for almost 15 minutes, Patten said officers made the decision to enter the residence "to check on his well-being."

Once police entered the unit, "an interaction occurred which included officers deploying a conducted energy weapon at the man, as well as firing plastic projectiles from an Anti-Riot Weapon ENfield," read the SIU release.

"When these had no effect, an officer discharged a firearm and the man was struck."

The man died on scene shortly after.

Six investigators and three forensic investigators have been assigned to the case.

Anyone with information or has witness video is asked to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529.

The Special Investigations Unit investigates cases involving police where there has been a death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.  
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