Police watchdog investigating after Niagara police shoot man dead in Welland, Ont.

A Niagara police officer shot and killed a 26-year-old man in Welland, Ont., Saturday night.

In a news release Sunday morning, Ontario’s police watchdog said it’s investigating.

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said that at about 9:15 p.m., “tactical” officers responded to a residence near Ontario Road and King Street to help arrest a man wanted by Peel Regional Police.

In their own statement Sunday, Niagara Police said the man was wanted in connection with a "domestic-related incident involving a firearm” in Mississauga on Dec. 12.

SIU says early information suggests man shot at police before they killed him

The man shot at police, who returned fire, the SIU said. Officers used gas and the man exited the home.

“There was further exchange of gunfire and the man was struck,” the SIU said, adding paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

Niagara police said, “there is no ongoing risk to public safety,” and that since the SIU is investigating, that it can't share more information.

One officer was shot, taken to hospital and released, the SIU said.

The watchdog scrutinizes police interactions that involve a death, serious injury or sexual assault. It has seven investigators assigned to the case and said there will be a post-mortem on the 26-year-old the morning of Dec. 15.