Man, 51, dies after being shot by RCMP officer near La Broquerie, Man.

A51-year-old man from the Ste. Anne area is dead after he was shot by aSteinbach RCMP officer on Highway 52 near La Broquerie, Manitoba RCMP say.

Mounties were patrolling the area onFriday around 12:30 a.m. after receivingmultiple reports about a suspiciousman near La Broquerie,about 60 kilometressoutheast of Winnipeg, RCMP said in a news release on Friday.

While officers were patrolling the area, they saw a vehicle stopped on the side of the highway with a man standing at the driver's side door.

When the officers approached the vehicle, they saw a man reaching inside the car,assaulting a womanwhile holding an edged weapon, RCMP said.

Police ordered the man to step away from the vehicle and drop his weapon, but instead he moved toward the officers with the weapon, the news release said.

An officer shot the man, and then police provided medical aid until emergency services arrived.

The man was pronounced dead on the side of the highway, RCMP said.

The woman sustained minor injuries from the assault.

RCMP said that the woman and man didn't know each other. They said the woman was driving on the highway and had stopped to help the man, who appeared to be in distress.

A stretch of Highway 52 near La Broqueriewas closed for the investigation in the morning but has sincereopened.

The RCMP have notified the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba about of the fatal shooting and the police watchdog will ask the Manitoba Police Commission to appoint a civilian monitor to oversee their investigation, the IIU said in a news release. The unit investigatesserious incidents involving police.

Because the investigation is underway,the IIU will provide no further details at this time, the police watchdog said in a news release that outlined what police have said about the shooting.

Investigators askwitnesses or individuals who have information or video footage to contact the IIU toll free at 1-844-667-6060.