By Canadian Press

Watchdog to probe fatal police shooting of axe-wielding man in Trois-Rivières, Que.

Aug 5, 2024 | 2:00 PM

TROIS-RIVIÈRES, Que. — Quebec’s police watchdog will probe the fatal police shooting of a man in Trois-Rivières, Que., who was allegedly wielding an axe Sunday night.

According to the watchdog, a 911 call came in just before 8 p.m. about a man acting erratically in the city, which is about halfway between Montreal and Quebec City.

When municipal police arrived at the scene about 10 minutes after the emergency call, the man was allegedly perched on a public monument, holding something that resembled an axe.

The watchdog, known as the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes, says officers tried unsuccessfully to talk to him, but the man spoke disjointedly and was unco-operative.

Police used pepper spray several times and then discharged an electric shock weapon to subdue the man without success.

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More than an hour after the standoff began, the man moved toward the officers holding the axe and they opened fire, killing him, the watchdog says in a news release today.

The Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes is mandated to investigate when someone is injured or killed during a police operation in Quebec.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 5, 2024.

The Canadian Press