Tensions high in Lac-Simon after fatal police shooting

The Montreal police departmentwill takeover an investigationin the small Algonquincommunity of Lac-Simon, justsouth of Val-d'Or, Que.,after a man was killed in an altercation with local police last night.

On Thursday, a Montreal police spokesman told CBC investigators were heading to the town, which is about 500 kilometres northwest of Montreal, to take over the investigation into the shooting death of 25-year-oldSandy TarzanMichel.

The fatal incidentcomes amid heightened tensions between police and residents, less thantwomonths after a member of theAnishnabe Takonewini Police Servicewas fatally shot on duty.

• Man killed by aboriginal police in Lac-Simon

At about 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, members of the local force, which is operated by theAnishnabeNation Tribal Council,responded to a report of a man walking in the street with a knife or another bladed weapon.

"During the intervention of the police, an impact happened with a patrol carand the suspect,and after that shots have also been fired," SretduQubecSgt. Melanie Dumaresq told CBC News.

Immediately after the shooting, the SQ washandlingthe investigation. In Quebec, it is mandated by lawfor another police force to take over following a police shooting that leads an injury or death.

After the incident, several dozen people confronted local police, prompting them tocall the SQ for backup.

"It's a highemotion type of situation that this community is not used to dealing with ... Incidents from the past have carried over so there's a bit of a build of tension,"said SQ spokesman Sgt. DanielThibodeau.

Several videos posted on social media captured the tension,as provincial police officers arrived and triedto disperse the crowd.Using a loudspeaker, police are heard instructing the crowd to move so they can get to the injured man.

Three men were arrested in the aftermath ofthe shooting.

Police say they could face charges ofassault or uttering threats.

'Public security crisis'

InFebruary, a police officer working with the local force, Thierry Leroux, was shot and killed while responding to a domestic dispute call.

The member of the community who shot Leroux then committed suicide.

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The Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents police officers on the Lac-Simon force, issued a statement Thursday calling for more resources and raising concern about a"public security crisis" in the community.

Geoffrey Kelley, Quebec's minister responsible for aboriginal affairs, said he would await the results of the investigation before commenting.

"We'regoing to wait to see the report," Kelley told reporters. "TheSretduQubechastakenover the investigation of the incident yesterday, so it's too early today to draw conclusions about this very sad incident."

The local health centre has set up a crisis unit to work with members of the community.

About 1,200 people live in Lac-Simon, which is500 kilometres northwest of Montreal.