ELMVALE – Police shot a mentally disabled man in his driveway in this small farming community northwest of Barrie last night.

Ontario Provincial Police would not confirm reports the man had died. The man was shot after a confrontation with an officer or officers that followed an earlier dispute between the man and a door-to-door salesperson.

Neighbours heard multiple shots.

Tanya Russell said she was outside talking to a neighbour while her 7-year-old son and a neighbour's son played when she heard the gunfire at Doug Minty's home on Lawson Ave. just after 8 p.m.

"I heard, 'Lay on the ground,' then boom, boom, boom, we heard gunshots," Russell said.

Her neighbour ran down the street and came back moments later shouting, "It's Doug, it's Doug," she said.

"He said, 'A police officer shot Doug.' "

She ran down the street and saw Minty, believed to be in his 50s, lying outside his small bungalow.

"The police were there," Russell said. "But it was neighbours doing CPR."

Minty was taken to Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie, about 20 kilometres away.

Last night, the provincial Special Investigations Unit, which probes incidents in which police officers seriously wound or kill civilians, was at the scene.

OPP officers received a call to their Huronia West detachment shortly after 8 p.m. reporting a dispute between a salesman and a resident of a Lawson Ave. home.

"Upon arrival, there was an altercation between an officer and the occupant (of the home), and as a result, the officer discharged his service pistol," said Const. Peter Leon.

Neighbour Mabel Morrison said Minty would frequently help residents with household tasks.

"He never bothered anybody."





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With files from Jesse McLean