TORONTO -- The province's police watchdog is investigating a police-involved shooting in Malton on Saturday evening that left a 62-year-old man dead.
Police were called to a home in the area of Goreway and Morning Star drives just after 5 p.m. for a person in a crisis.
Speaking to reporters at the scene, Const. Sarah Patten said the man was suffering from a medical condition and was not taking his medication.
Patten noted that police believed the man had access to weapons inside the home at that time. She said their tactical and canine units responded to the incident.
"Communication was made with the man. However, he had barricaded himself inside his residence," Patten said. "We continued communication for a period of time."
She noted the man stopped all communications with police just before 8 p.m.
"Due to information received on the extensive medical history the man had as well as the man refusing to speak to police any longer, the decision was made to enter the residence to check on his well-being," Patten said.
"We believe that he was a danger to himself," she said.
When officers entered the home, Patten said an interaction occurred between officers and the man and shots were fired by police.
Despite life-saving efforts by paramedics, she said the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has been called in to probe the shooting.
When asked about what kind of weapons the man had, Patten said she cannot give any specifics because the province's police watchdog is now investigating it.
"We hope that with the completion of the SIU investigation and also our investigation... a lot of questions can be answered at that time."
The SIU is an arm's length agency called to investigate any incident involving police and a member of the public that results in death, serious injury, or an allegation of sexual assault.
