Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is investigating a police-involved shooting of a 73-year-old man who allegedly refused to wear a mask in a local grocery store. 

The incident happened at a Valu-mart store in Minden, Ontario, on the morning of Wednesday, July 15. 

The man reportedly launched an assault on individuals at the supermarket after refusing to wear a mask to protect against the spread of COVID-19. 

“He refused to wear a mask at the store. He was refused service and the assault happened thereafter. So our people became involved with that initial assault investigation and follow-up,” OPP Sgt. Jason Folz, told CP24.

After the man left the grocery store in a vehicle, an officer followed for a short period of time.

The SIU reports that officers drove to a residence on Indian Point Road after looking up the address from the vehicle’s licence plate. 

Outside the residence, there was an interaction with the man, which resulted in two officers discharging their firearms, according to the SIU.

The man was shot and transported to hospital where he was pronounced dead at 11:47 a.m.

In a news release issued Thursday morning, the SIU said investigators had recovered a pistol and a semi-automatic rifle from the scene. The firearms of two police officers were also taken into evidence, the agency said.

The SIU investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault. Four investigators and two forensic investigators have been assigned to the case.