Niagara police officer in stable condition after being shot by fellow officer

A Niagara Regional Police officer is in stable condition in a Hamilton hospital after being shot by a fellowpolice officer in Pelham, Ont., theservice says.

Around noon Thursday, several officers were investigating a collision that had happened days before in the area of Effingham Street and Roland Road in the rural areasouthwest of St. Catharines, Ont., when two of the officers became involved in an altercation, according toMonica Hudon, spokesperson forOntario's Special Investigations Unit.

• UPDATE:Only one officer fired his gun at Pelham cop shooting, SIU says

One of theofficers, 52years old, was seriously injured, saidHudon.

Niagara police say the officer who was shot has served for 28 years and is assigned to uniform patrol in Welland and Pelham.

He was rushed to hospital in critical condition, but the service issued a statement Thursday evening saying he was in stable condition. The officer's name has not been released.

SIUworking to understand officers' relationship

Hudoncouldnot say how many gunshots hit the officer,where he was struck or if both officers fired their weapons.

The spokesperson also had no information aboutwhat led to the shooting ortheir relationship.

"Understanding what transpired and the relationship between the officers is part of the SIU's investigation," said Hudon.

"I can only tell you that there was an altercation, a firearm was discharged and one officer was struck."

Niagara Police chief BryanMacCullochsaid he has asked the Ontario Provincial Police to determine if there is any criminal culpability outside of theSIU'sscope, but added no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting

"The days and weeks ahead will be trying ones for theNRPSfamily and the community we serve," he said. "I ask for your support for our members and all those involved."

The Niagara police said in an earlierstatement Thursday afternoon that there was "an incident in Pelham involving members of the NRPS."

"An officer has been transported by paramedics from the scene with injuries."

The statement did not describe the nature of the incident.

"As the SIU is involved we are prohibited from providing further information at this time," the statement reads.

OrngeAir Ambulance saida personwastransported by helicopter from a St.Catharineshospital to a Hamilton trauma centre in critical condition.

Eight SIU investigators and threeforensic investigators have been assigned to the case, said Hudon, and officers are canvassing for video evidence.

"We are interviewing witnesses andwe're asking other witnesses to come forward if they have information."

Police car was 'head-first in the ditch'

She said the SIU has not designated any subject or witness officers as of Thursday evening.

The SIU is an arm's-length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.

Hudon said the watchdog has investigated cases where a police officer was shot by another officer, but noted it's too early to determine if Thursday's shooting shares any similaritieswithpast incidents.

She also made clear why this case falls withintheSIU mandate.

"The SIU is mandated to investigate any incident involving police where someone has been seriously injured or has died. Whether the person who was injured was a civilian or a police officer, the SIUmandate is invoked anytime that happens."

People living in the area said the shooting led to a rush of squad cars racing to the scene in the early afternoon.Robin Zavitz said she was driving home at about 1:30 p.m. whenshe came across a police blockade. She said she could see a policeSUV in a ditch and numerous squad cars nearby.

"The police car is head-first in the ditch and there doesn't appear to be any damage to it," Zavitz said."It's scary when a police officer has been shot in the middle ofthe day."

Zavitz said a police car had been blocking the road at the same intersection all morning, but added the flurry of police activity didn't occur until the early afternoon. Niagara regional police had tweeted earlier Thursday that the road would be partially closed for an investigation.

Mike Shepherd was driving home when he came across the same intersection at about 11:30 a.m. An officer was in his squad car, blocking the road eastbound, Shepherd said.

"He said they were doing an accident investigation down the road."A little more than an hour later, he said an ambulance rushed by.

Niagara's police services board says it's "deeply concerned" about the shooting, but didn't say much else.

"The law requires that there be no public comment on or discussion of the specifics of the occurrence under investigation until the SIU investigation and the chief's external review are completed," it said in a statement.

But "on behalf of the board," it said, "chair Bob Galeextends our thoughts and prayers to the officers and their families."