Two officers dead after shooting in Innisfil

INNISFIL, Ont. - A shooting at a home in a town north of Toronto left two officers dead and a community in shock on Wednesday as the province's police watchdog worked to piece together what happened.

The South Simcoe Police Service said police responded to a disturbance call in Innisfil, Ont., just before 8 p.m. Tuesday when the shooting took place.

Ontario's police watchdog, the Special Investigations Unit, said the two police officers who died were involved in a shooting with a 23-year-old man inside the home.

"There was an exchange of gunfire between the man and officers," the SIU wrote in a statement. "The man was pronounced deceased at the scene. Two officers were taken to hospital where they died."

Police said the first officer died at a local hospital while the second officer died after being airlifted to a Toronto trauma centre in critical condition. They have not been named.

John Ridge, who has lived in the area for 26 years, said he was heading to bed when he saw two police cars rush by his house with their lights on.

"Woke up this morning and two police officers were shot 10 doors from my house," the 66-year-old said.

"I think it’s horrible. I'm sickened by it. These guys go out and put their lives on the line for us every single day. And this is the kind of thanks they get?"

Ridge and other neighbours said an elderly couple who had an adult grandson lived in the house where the shooting took place.

"I had just met the grandfather, really nice guy," Ridge said. "To have a police officer shot in your neighbourhood is just not acceptable."

Cindy Le, who lives in a home across the street from where the shooting took place, said she had heard sirens on Tuesday night.

"It's terrible," she said of what had happened. "It’s sad. Really sad."

Le, who has lived in the area for seven years, said the residential neighbourhood is typically a quiet, safe one. "I love the neighbourhood," the 53-year-old said.

Archibald Torrance, who also lives in the area, said he was shocked by what had taken place.

"I don't think it's right," the 82-year-old said. "These policemen are doing a job."

Yellow police tape cordoned off a portion of the street where the shooting took place. Several police vehicles could be seen in the area on Wednesday morning and a police helicopter was seen flying overhead at one point.

The Town of Innisfil said it was a "devastating day."

"We're heartbroken at the loss of our officers," it wrote on Twitter. "We extend our thoughts to the officers' families & all members of our emergency services teams."

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he was deeply saddened by the news.

"We are praying for the officers' families and all the police officers who put their lives on the line to protect our communities," he said in a written statement Wednesday.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also sent his condolences.

"My thoughts are also with the loved ones of these officers and the entire Innisfil community," he wrote on Twitter.

Trudeau said later Wednesday morning that the federal Liberal government was working to step up on gun control, noting a ban on assault weapons and a freeze on purchasing handguns among recent measures brought in.

The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police said it was devastated as it mourns the loss of the two officers. "Our sorrow deepens," the association tweeted.

The SIU said it has assigned six investigators and three forensic investigators to the case. The agency is called in to investigate police conduct that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault or a shooting.

A police escort travelled through downtown Toronto on Wednesday morning to the coroner's office, where police had started to gather earlier in the day after the first officer died. First responders could be seen saluting the procession from overpasses as it made its way through the city.

South Simcoe acting police chief John Van Dyke was expected to hold a news conference at 1 p.m. Wednesday. The SIU said it would speak to reporters shortly after.

The deaths of the two officers came a month after a Toronto police officer, Const. Andrew Hong, was killed on Sept. 12 while on break at a Tim Hortons in Mississauga, Ont.