Ottawa [Canada], December 5 : Vancouver police have shot and killed a man in downtown Vancouver on Wednesday after he stabbed one person and injured another, Canada-based CBC News reported, citing a Vancouver Police Department spokesperson.
Police said they responded to a call from an employee at a restaurant near Robson and Hamilton streets just after 11:30 am (local time). The call said that a man had stolen alcohol and was armed with a knife in restaurant.
Speaking to The Canadian Press, the witnesses said that the man used the weapon to stab people across the street at a 7-Eleven store near Vancouver Central Public Library.
According to onlookers, shots were fired near the 7-Eleven, CBC News reported. Constable Tania Visintin said police shot a suspect who stabbed one person in the hand while another person sustained facial injuries.
Tania Visintin said police and first responders administered first aid before the man was shifted to hospital, where he died. According to Visintin, the injuries of victims were not believed to be life-threatening.
The Independent Investigations Office (IIO), the civilian-led agency responsible for police oversight in British Columbia, in a statement, said it is carrying out the probe and asking any witnesses to get in touch with agency on 1-855-446-8477 or through the contact form on its website, CBC News reported.
In an email statement, a 7-Eleven spokesperson said that they are collecting information and working with police to assist their probe. The 7-Eleven spokesperson said, "We are saddened by the reports of the incident today."
British Columbia's minister of state for community safety and integrated services, Terry Yung, called it a "concerning incident" and expressed hope that the victims will have speedy recovery.
He said, "It's a very concerning incident, especially for those involved." He stated that Vancouver police will provide further details regarding the incident. Assuring the people about safety, Yung said, "Everyone should feel safe in their neighbourhood."
Speaking to The Canadian Press, Kylie Noel, who was working at the Original Joe's restaurant at Robson and Hamilton streets on Wednesday, said that a man entered the restaurant and stood by its door, opened a laptop and "demanded a glass of water."
Noel said she refused and told kitchen staff that the man was not leaving. She said that the man had left until other workers came out. However, she saw with a bottle of alcohol outside the restaurant, which she believed was stolen from the restaurant. She later confirmed it after watching the CCTV footage.
When Noel came back to the main floor of the restaurant, the man again stood behind the bar and Noel ran back to tell about him to other colleagues in the kitchen, according to CBC News report.
She said, "One of the kitchen guys came out, asked if he could help him, and the guy grabbed the knife and asked him if he wanted to die." Noel said her colleague then asked her to call police. She said that ran into lobby of neighbouring hotel and called police to report about the man.
Mainul Islam, a part-time delivery worker who was outside the 7-Eleven, said he was taking up a food order when he saw a man attempting to steal cigarettes from behind the counter. He said employees were trying to stop the man, CBC News reported.
He said, "And he just brought out his knife from his pocket, and he tried to stab ... the guy, but he ran away, and then he went to stab that lady. Maybe he already stabbed that lady in the back, I saw blood." Islam said police reached there within minutes and shot him. He called it a "terrible scene."
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