The Special Investigations Unit has taken on the case of a police involved shooting that left a 32-year-old man dead.

It happened at the ESSO gas bar at Appleby Line and Harvester. OPP officers were trying to find a man who left the scene of a crash on the QEW and say he came and hid in a Circle K bathroom.

Police went in, the man came out, and that’s when shots were fired.

It all started around 4:30 a.m. on Saturday. Officers were looking for a man involved in a crash that left this car severely damaged on the QEW at Burloak. Police say the man took off.

A call came in around 5:30 a.m. about a suspicious man hiding in the bathroom. When the man exited the bathroom, there was an exchange of gunfire between him and several police officers. The SIU says the 32 year old was killed and two Halton police officers were shot. They were rushed to the Hamilton trauma centre. SIU spokesperson Monica Hudon says they are collecting video surveillance and witness statements. “Understanding what transpired between the man and police is part of the SIU’s ongoing investigation,” says Huddon.

The SIU is called into investigate reports involving police that involve serious injury, allegation of sexual assault or in this case death. The SIU say the victim’s name will not be released but he was from Scarborough.

Halton Regional Police Chief Steve Tanner said, “Today and every day we should all be thankful for our brave first responders. Thankfully in this situation our two police officers will recover from serious but non life-threatening gun shot wounds”.

Chief Greg Sage of Halton region paramedic services posted,”Very difficult night for our colleagues Halton police. Spoke to Chief Tanner this morning to send thoughts for a speedy recovery to the injured officers. All paramedics have an immense respect for the role police officers play in our community everyday.