Border security

Canadian shot by U.S. border guards at Ambassador Bridge

Man accused of pointing replica at border guards

The Canadian Press Posted: Dec 21, 2014 12:31 PM ET Last Updated: Dec 22, 2014 12:11 AM ET

U.S. border guards shot a Canadian man on the Ambassador Bridge on Sunday, after he allegedly got out of his vehicle and pointed a handgun replica in their direction. (Mark Spowart/Canadian Press)

 A Canadian man who was shot by U.S. border guards at the Ambassador Bridge crossing between Windsor, Ont., and Detroit  was carrying a "replica of a handgun," U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement released late Sunday.

The agency had said earlier Sunday that the man stopped his car before the U.S. inspection booth at around 3 a.m. and started walking towards border officers while "waving a handgun." 

The officers ordered him to drop the weapon, the agency said, but the man instead pointed the gun in the officers' direction, prompting them to open fire.

In an updated statement released at 10 p.m. ET, CBP said it had reviewed video of the incident and interviewed five witnesses. Two border officers fired their weapons — one once and the other three times. One of the rounds hit the man in the arm.

"Investigators determined that the individual was holding a replica of a handgun," the statement said.

The man has had "previous encounters" with Canadian law enforcement.

The man, whose name has not been released, was treated and released from hospital before being taken into custody, the agency said.

The bridge re-opened after the scene was analyzed.

'Why haven't you shot me yet?'

Shortly before the incident at the border, Windsor police say they were called to a McDonald's parking lot at 2:40 a.m. ET to reports of a man with a gun.

According to a news release, the man got out of his vehicle when officers arrived and had a gun in his hand.

The man allegedly approached the restaurant, at which time police ordered him to drop his weapon.

Police say the man pointed the gun in the direction of the officers and asked, "Why haven't you shot me yet?"

Attempts were being made to de-escalate the situation, police said, but the man got into his vehicle and fled onto the EC Row Expressway.

"Police later learned that the suspect was involved in an incident in the United States with U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers," according to the news release.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/canadian-shot-by-u-s-border-guards-at-ambassador-bridge-1.2880736