OPP shoot man dead hours after mask dispute leads to alleged assault

Ontario's police watchdog is investigating after officersfatally shota 73-year-old man in Haliburton County on Wednesday morning.

The man hadrefused to wear a mask and allegedly assaulted a grocery store employee before driving away, Ontario Provincial Police say.

Police were called to a Valu-Mart in Minden, Ont., just after 8 a.m., OPP Sgt. Jason Folzsaid.

Officers tried to stop the suspect's car, but they refrained"in the interest of public safety" before doing a follow-up investigation, Folz said.

Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said the man drove away, and anofficer saw the car and started following it for a short while.Based on the licence plate,officers made their way to a home on Indian Point Road, the SIU said.

2 officers fire guns, says SIU

Outside the home there was an "interaction," and two police officers fired their guns,the SIU said.

Folz said that after shots were fired, "additional resources" were brought tothe area near EagleLake, by the village of Haliburton, about 215 kilometres northeast of Toronto.

The man was shotand takento hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:47 a.m., the SIU said.

Folz said the victim was from the Eagle Lake area.

In a news release issued Thursday morning, the SIU said investigators had recovered a pistol and a semi-automatic rifle from the scene. The firearms of two police officers were also taken into evidence, the agency said.

Investigators are continuing to search the scene Thursday, the SIU said, and also making attempts to locate the man's next of kin.

A post-mortem examination is set to be conducted Friday morning. Four OPP officers have been designated witnesses to the shooting, and arrangements for interviews are underway, the SIU said.

People at the grocerystorehad concerns about the way the manwasdriving in the parking lot andon thehighway, Folzsaid.

Tianna Frances, a worker at the Valu-Mart in Minden, said she arrived for her shift at the grocery store shortly after the police were called.

"When I got here everyone was talking about it," Frances said. "My coworkers were a little bit shaken up, yes."

Frances was told that the man didn't want to wear a mask and she and other employees had to explain politely to other customers that an incident had happened earlier when they asked why the police were there.

"I guess he just got angry and didn't want to. We couldn't really deal with that ourselves because it's really against the rules. So we had to call the police and everything," Frances said.

Frances said workers shouldn't have to enforce the mandatory mask policy issued bytheHaliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit. The policy, "Use of Non-Medical Masks in Commercial Establishments,"took effect on12:01 am onMonday.

It's causing chaos, she said.

"If we didn't have to force himand ...tell him that he couldn't come into the store, nothing would have happened, really. He would have gothis groceries and went along with his day."

WATCH | Enforcing mask rules can present issues around labour rights:

Labour lawyer cautions that enforcing mask policies is likely to cause some conflict

4 years ago

Duration 5:26

Andrew Monkhouse says companies need to plan for difficult customers with clear policies and training for employees to help reduce tension.

Lynda Easton, manager of the Valu-Mart in Minden, began to cry when asked about the incidenton Wednesday.

"I want to congratulate my staff for how they handled the situation. It was very challenging today. They are the heroes. I don't want to get emotional. They deserve the credit. That's all I want to say," Easton said.

The SIU saidfour investigators and two forensic investigators have been assigned to the case.

The unit is asking anyone with information to contact the lead investigatorat 1-800-787-8529. The SIU is also urging people with any video evidence to upload it through the SIU website.

Earlier on Wednesday, Ontario Provincial Police said they were investigating a "serious criminal matter" near Haliburton.

On Twitter,the OPP had asked people to stay away from Indian Point Road near Eagle Lakebut said there was no concern for public safety.

An OPP officialconfirmed they had asked people to stay inside while looking for a male suspect in the Indian Point Road area.

The SIU probes incidents involving the police that have resulted in serious injury, death or allegations of sexual assault.