32-year-old Summerside man dies after altercation with police

A 32-year-old Summerside man has died at the Prince County Hospital after an altercation with police.

Police were trying to arrest the man at about 5 a.m. on Sunday at ahome on Duke Street in Summersidewhen, according a news release, police say he became violent, and the officers discharged their pistols, injuring him.

He was taken to hospital for treatment, but died at about 1 o'clock Sunday afternoon.

The incident startedaround 12:30Sunday morning, when police received a call from a woman at a Water Street motel that four men "forced their way into her room and robbed her and her boyfriend," according to the release.

The woman also reported being stabbed during the encounter and was able to identify the suspects.

By the time police responded, the four men had already fled in a vehicle.

At about 4 a.m., police spotted the vehicle outside the house on Duke Street. Police watched the property for about an hour, then two of the suspects began to leave the home.

"The officers approached thetwo men at that time and took one of them into custodywithout incident," saidCpl. Jason Blacquierewith SummersidePolice.

"The second man fled back into the residence and was pursued by our officers. Once inside the residence they tried to take him into custody. He resisted arrest with violence and two of our officers dischargedtheir service pistols causing injury to the man."

Police will not confirm whether the man had a weapon at the time.

Police are still actively searching for the other two men involved in robbing the couple at a motel on Water Street.They say the robbery was a targeted crime and thecouple and the suspects knew each other, and while two suspects are still at large, members of the public should not be concerned about their safety.

FelixCacchione, the director of SIRT(Serious Incident Response Team) says his group has been called in by Summersidepolice to investigate the incident.

The team acts as a police watchdog.It's called in to look intoanyserious incidents involving police in Nova Scotia, but can also be called toP.E.I., New Brunswick andNewfoundland and Labrador.

More P.E.I. news

• Why diversity on the big screen matters: Opinion
• 11 things you always wanted to know about beavers on P.E.I