Officials say a 30-year-old man shot by Peel Regional Police officers at Toronto Pearson Airport on Thursday morning has died.
Peel Regional Police chief Nishan Duraiappah said it was just before 7 a.m. when police received a call “to assist in resolving a dispute at Terminal 1 departures level right at the curbside.”
Duraiappah said officers “engaged in discussions” with a group of people — about two to three people — that were “experiencing a dispute.” He said officers spent an amount of time, around 10 to 15 minutes, trying to de-escalate and resolve the dispute.
“However, abruptly one of the individuals produced a firearm at our officers,” Duraiappah said, adding there were three Peel Regional Police officers that responded to the incident.
The Special investigations Unit (SIU), which acts as the province’s police watchdog and investigates various incidents such as officer-involved shootings, said a 30-year-old man was shot.
The SIU said the man died at the scene, adding no officers were injured.
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The police chief said only two officers “engaged” with the man in firing their guns, while the SIU initially said it was three officers have corrected their information to say it was only two.
Due to the SIU’s involvement, and parallel investigation, Duraiappah said they are limited in details they can share.
“Peel Regional Police absolutely is cooperating fully,” Duraiappah said. “We have body camera video, and obviously we’re at a place that has a lot of evidence, and a lot of witnesses. All of which will be available to the Special Investigations Unit.”
Duraiappah added the people involved in the dispute all knew each other and were at the airport for the purpose of travel but he could not confirm if the person who he says had a firearm was also there for travel.
He said it was a person from the group that initially called police and that the shooting occurred near an SUV on the curbside.
“We responded to what we believed was just a dispute. For quite a long time, for a few minutes at least, the officers did their best to try to mediate it. At that point, there was no information of that level of risk,” Duraiappah said.
Pearson airport said it continues to “operate normally at this time” but due to the police investigation, the roadway to Terminal 1 departures is closed. Passengers and vehicles are being re-routed to enter through Terminal 1 arrivals.
They also noted the parking garage at Terminal 1 remains open and passengers can also park at Terminal 3 and take the train to Terminal 1.
The OPP said Highway 409 to Terminal 1 departures at the airport is closed.
Images from the airport show a long line of cars trying to get into Terminal 1.
Image from the scene at Toronto Pearson Airport Terminal 1.
Katrina Ramlochan / Motorcycle accident toronto today
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