Ottawa police shot a 20-year-old knife-wielding man twice in the chest after a confrontation in the city’s east end Tuesday night.

Witnesses say police were responding to a call after a man jumped on top of a car on Tenth Line Rd. near Innes Rd. and smashed the windshield.

The man was rushed to the Ottawa Civic Hospital and was listed in stable condition, paramedics say.

The Ontario Special Investigations Unit — which investigates any cases involving police where someone is injured — is probing the shooting. Due to the investigation, Tenth Line Rd., remained closed northbound overnight and was not expected to reopen until mid-morning.

Both Tenth Line southbound and des Epinettes were reopened overnight.

Michael Nituch saw much of the tragedy play out right before his eyes as he drove past the scene where the shots were fired. He saw a car parked in the middle of his lane, so he pulled over to see what was wrong.

“All of a sudden, I saw this gentleman get out of his car, he came towards me waving a knife at me,” said a shaken Nituch. “That didn’t look normal to me.”

With his son in the car next to him, his thoughts turned first to his own safety. He locked his doors, reversed the car and got to the nearest Canadian Tire gas station to call 911.

Nituch said the man looked distressed. The man had the knife pointed upwards towards his own chest and he was waving it back and forth.

“I didn’t think he was trying to attack me,” he said. “He seemed like he wanted to hurt himself.”

Nituch quickly left the scene, and the shooting happened shortly after.

His son Louis-Philippe Chapados was rattled by what he saw.

“I’m still shaken,” he said.

Other witnesses say a woman may have also been in the vehicle at the time of the incident.

The shooting took place just outside a small bungalow on Innes Rd., which was also cordoned off by police.

The Toyota Corolla which witnesses say belonged to the victim was parked in a nearby shopping mall lot at 1777 Tenth Line Rd. with more police tape and cruisers surrounding it.

The street was closed off to traffic, with dark blood staining the pavement and the blue gloves and medical kits of paramedics tossed nearby.

Neighbours say a young family moved into the bungalow, a rental, just two months ago. They said the couple have two or three small children.

“They were a very nice couple,” said Andre Lamarche, who often saw the children playing soccer in the backyard. “This is such a quiet neighbourhood usually.”

mike.aubry@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @ottawasunmaubry