Man dead, 2 officers hurt in Burlington shooting
Exchange of gunfire in altercation at gas station
BURLINGTON — Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit continues to investigate the Saturday morning shooting at a Burlington gas station that left one man dead and two Halton police officers wounded.
The fatal altercation between a 32-year-old man and officers — four from Halton police and one from the OPP — occurred shortly after 5:30 a.m. at the Esso at Harvester Road and Appleby Line.
Police had received a call from inside the station that a suspicious man had barricaded himself in the washroom.
It’s believed this was the same man who’d fled a collision on Hwy. 403 a short time earlier. OPP officers had been attempting to locate him.
“The man exited the bathroom and gunfire was exchanged,” confirmed Monica Hudon, spokesperson for the SIU, during a media conference Saturday.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Two Halton officers sustained serious but non-life-threatening gunshot wounds and were taken to Hamilton General Hospital. They’re both expected to recover.
“Having just left our two officers, they are in good spirits and good hands,” tweeted Halton Police deputy chief Nishan Duraiappah Saturday.
“Thank you for your concern and support.”
Hudon said one of the injured officers had not been involved in the exchange of gunfire.
A heavy police presence remained at the gas station for much of the day.
The name of the deceased has not yet been released, pending notification of next of kin.
Support and well-wishes for the wounded officers quickly appeared on social media — from law enforcement agencies near and far — while among those visiting them in hospital was Premier Doug Ford.
“Today and every day we should all be thankful for our brave first responders,” tweeted Halton Police Chief Stephen Tanner.
The SIU is now attempting to determine how many shots were fired and the sequence of events that led to the shooting.
The SIU, Ontario’s police watchdog, investigates reports involving police when there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call 1-800-787-8529.
With files from Steve Buist, Bianca Bharti, Claire Floody, Graham Paine and The Canadian Press