Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has been called in to investigate the shooting death of a 20-year-old man.
The SIU confirmed the young man’s name is Beau Aaron Baker.
Waterloo Regional Police say that around 9:15 p.m. Thursday, they were called to the apartment on Byrbeck Crescent in Kitchener, by an emotionally distraught man.
When they arrived, police say there was an "interaction between police and the man, and he was shot.
“All he had was a knife, if it was a gun, sure 15 feet away with a gun, understandable. A knife, seven bullets [shakes head],” said Jay, who lives across the street.
Baker was transported to St. Mary's hospital and pronounced dead.
The SIU says an autopsy is scheduled to take place in Hamilton on Saturday.
Meanwhile Baker’s family is mourning, remembering him as an aspiring tattoo artist.
“I love you Beau Baker I love you more then you will ever know,” his brother Mike Baker posted on Facebook.
His mother also took to Facebook to express her grief.
“We are devastated and not fully comprehending that he is gone,” Jackie Baker posted.
Many in the neighbourhood are questioning how police handled the situation.
“I think one bullet to the leg probably would have dropped him to the ground and they could have ended it a lot more peacefully,” said Jay.
“The officers last night who were involved in the interaction did not have tasers,” said Staff Sgt. Michael Haffner.
In a press release, communications officer Monica Hudon says the SIU has assigned five investigators and three forensic investigators to look into what happened.
The SIU is automatically called in to review cases involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the lead investigator at 416-622-1935
