The individual shot by Winnipeg police on New Year’s Eve has been identified as Afolabi Stephen Opaso, a 19-year-old Nigerian student studying Economics at the University of Manitoba.
The incident was reported to the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba (IIU) by Winnipeg police shortly after it occurred on Sunday, at 2:20 p.m.
Authorities had responded to reports of a man behaving erratically in an apartment suite within the first 100 block of University Crescent, arriving at the scene two officers discovered three individuals in the suite.
Winnipeg Police Chief, Danny Smyth stated that the 19-year-old was armed with two knives, leading to a use of what he described as a force encounter in which one of the officers shot him.
Opaso was transported to the hospital in critical condition and succumbed to his injuries. The other two individuals in the suite were unharmed.
According to Jean-René-Dominique Kwilu, a Winnipeg lawyer assisting the family of the deceased, witnesses have indicated that he was experiencing a mental health episode, prompting a 911 call for assistance.
The lawyer emphasized that there is currently no evidence suggesting Opaso attacked the police.
Meanwhile, his family, who are not in Winnipeg, is reportedly shocked and traumatized by the tragic incident.
Kwilu stated that they are seeking answers regarding the handling of the situation by the police and are questioning why a mental health call resulted in Opaso’s death.
The IIU is actively investigating the shooting and has appealed to the public for information.
However, the IIU plans to request the Manitoba Police Commission appoint a civilian monitor due to the fatality involved in the incident.
At this time, no further details have been disclosed by the IIU.
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