Winnipeg man dead after officer involved shooting, police watchdog investigating

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WINNIPEG — A 23-year-old man was shot and killed by Winnipeg police following a string of violent incidents which started late Tuesday evening and ended early Wednesday morning with a confrontation between the suspect and officers.

Family members have identified the man fatally shot as Adrian Lacquette, the youngest of Jo-Anne Malcolm’s 11 children.

Winnipeg police wouldn’t say whether or not the suspect was armed at the time of the shooting, but witnesses said they overheard someone shouting orders to “drop the gun” prior to shots being fired.

Police also wouldn’t comment when asked if officers had been fired upon.

Malcolm said she was notified of her son’s death around 6 a.m. Wednesday by investigators with Manitoba’s police watchdog, the Independent Investigation Unit.

“I want my son back,” a grieving Malcolm told CTV Winnipeg. “I want to know why they shot him. I heard it was a stolen car. That is no reason to shoot my son.”

Winnipeg police said it all started late Tuesday night when officers were called to a home where a woman had been assaulted by a man with a gun.

Half an hour later, another woman was driving into her garage when a man with a gun stole her vehicle.

A short time later there was an armed robbery at a business. There were no serious injuries in any of the incidents.

Police said the suspect was tracked down and confronted by officers who shot him.

Clayton Campbell lives near the scene of the shooting and said he heard about a dozen gun shots.

“I was sitting in my living room last night and I heard heavy footsteps and suddenly I heard ‘drop the gun,”’ said Campbell. “It didn’t click immediately and then just gunfire erupted. I hit the deck and I crawled to the back of my house, to be honest. Scares the crap out of me.”

Malcolm said her son used to be a member of a gang but left the lifestyle. She also said he had been having a difficult time after recently breaking up with his girlfriend.