'Serious' police incident closes North Vancouver's Westview Plaza

'Serious' police incident closes North Vancouver's Westview Plaza

IIO, which investigates when a person is harmed during police interactions, deployed to scene

A popular shopping plaza in North Vancouver is closed to the public Tuesday evening, in the wake of what RCMP described as a "serious incident."

Investigators have yet to provide details of what occurred at the scene, but urged people to avoid the area.

Jackie Patton, who lives nearby, told CBC News she was having lunch when she heard multiple police sirens rush into the plaza.

She said about a minute later, she heard three shots.

More stories from Vancouver-South Coast

CBC News has verified the authenticity of a video posted to social media platform X Tuesday afternoon.

The video shows several police officers aiming what appear to be either guns or conducted energy weapons into a police cruiser.

Almost immediately, what sounds like three gunshots being fired is heard.

The video does not show what happens in the moments before the incident, nor does it show the actions of the person in the police cruiser in the seconds before shots are heard.

Witness video obtained by CBC News shows a man approach and open the door of an RCMP vehicle as police appear to fire a conducted energy weapon at him.

The man climbs into the vehicle's driver seat as an officer rushes up and prevents the door from closing. The officer then draws a hand-held weapon and appears to fire three shots inside the vehicle.

Police can be heard shouting commands at the man to drop a knife, before firing what appears to be another conducted energy weapon at the man.

Officers then pull him out of the vehicle and handcuff him.

Witness describes chaotic scene

Bahman Afshari, who owns a pizza shop in the plaza, said he heard noise in the parking lot and came out to see a man sitting in a pickup truck brandishing what he described as a box cutter or carpet knife.

He said the man then ran over to the gas station where he tried to climb into multiple vehicles.

“If it’s open, he get inside,” Afshari said.

Police arrived within minutes and tried to shoot the man with with a conducted energy weapon, but missed, Afshari said.

He said the man then climbed into the police vehicle — at which point the confrontation captured on video took place.

B.C.'s civilian watchdog, the Independent Investigations Office (IIO), confirmed it had been deployed to the scene but did not provide further detail. The IIO investigates when serious harm or death occurs that may have been the result of police action or inaction.

An Esso gas station and McDonald's restaurant are behind police tape, and the entrance to the plaza parking lot is closed.