Police shoot man near Montreal subway

Victim dies, incident under investigation

The Quebec provincial police force has launched an investigation after Montreal police fired on and killed a fleeing suspect near the turnstiles of the Bonaventure subway station Friday.

Police confirmed that the suspect died of his wounds Friday evening.

Witnesses described the man as being in his 50s. However, Urgences-Sante said a man in his 20s was treated for multiple gunshot wounds to the upper body. The disparity could not immediately be cleared up.

Lt. Ian Lafreniere of Montreal police said earlier that the suspect had been taken to a hospital in critical condition with life-threatening injuries.

The investigation has been turned over the Surete du Quebec in accordance with standard procedure for police shootings, SQ spokesman Sgt. Daniel Thibodeau said.

The provincial force was on site and ready to begin their work, Thibodeau added.

Police said the man attacked an officer with a sharp object.

They wouldn’t confirm whether it was a knife or a makeshift object, such as a broken bottle.

Two officers were also taken to the hospital — one with stab wounds and one who was being treated for shock.

Yvan Montpetit, a spokesman for Urgences-sante ambulance service, said the injured officer was treated for lacerations to his face and arm.

Police wouldn’t confirm whether the officers had been patrolling or were responding to a call when they confronted the suspect, an intervention that quickly escalated.

Police also could not say whether there was an exchange of gunfire between the suspect and police or whether other officers fired their weapons.

The incident took place shortly before 2 p.m.

Karl Nantel said he saw two police officers approach a man. One officer was clutching his night stick, the other had his gun drawn.

They ordered the man to get down on the ground, repeating the order several times, Nantel said. The suspect ignored them and started walking away, Nantel added.

When the suspect began to run, Nantel said, he heard three shots and the suspect fell to the floor.

Nantel added that he also noticed an officer on the ground.

Nantel said events transpired very quickly and that it was unclear to him whether the suspect was armed.

Another witness, Genevieve Gagnon, said she heard gunfire and took cover in a convenience store nearby.