An armed man who held several people hostage inside a bank in Vaughan on Wednesday afternoon was fatally shot after police tried to negotiate with him, York Regional Police say.Const. Andy Pattenden said police used lethal force to “gain control of the subject” after attempting to negotiate with him. The Special Investigations Unit, the province’s police watchdog, has taken over the investigation. Jason Gennaro of the SIU confirmed that the armed male was 25 years old, but couldn’t speak to where he was from. “Investigators are examining the circumstance surrounding a fatal police-involved shooting,” Gennaro said Wednesday evening.According to the SIU, the man entered the bank just after 1 p.m. What happened between that moment and when police were called to the branch near Dufferin St. and Major Mackenzie Dr. W. for reports of a man holding hostages is still unknown. The SIU’s preliminary investigation found that two police officers discharged their guns and struck the armed man, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Gennaro said it is not yet clear what occurred in the standoff before the officers fired, and he was unable to share the names of the officers at this time.Initially police were able to get some customers and employees out of the bank during the altercation, Pattenden said, but a number of people remained inside with the gunman.“It did turn into a hostage situation for us.”Pattenden said it was not immediately clear if the man was attempting to rob the bank. Hostages were all recovered with no injuries, and both York police and the SIU’s affected response co-ordinator will be working with them in the days ahead.“They are definitely traumatized. This is a very traumatic event and we’re going to be doing everything we can to help those people,” Pattenden said. Police were also investigating a vehicle of interest located outside of the bank.Helicopters whirled above the snow ...
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