A 46-year-old man was shot multiple times by an officer after police received a call about two people tied up in the basement of a Smithville home on Friday afternoon.

Niagara Regional Police responded to the residence located at Anastasia Boulevard and Harvest Gate shortly after 12:30 p.m. and upon arrival, a person of interest fled. An officer discharged his firearm more than once following an "interaction" with the man at the subdivision intersection, said a media release issued by the Ontario Special Investigations Unit (SIU).

The man was transported to hospital for treatment of his gunshot wounds and the two individuals inside the home are also being treated for serious injuries.

The matter is now being investigated by the SIU, the agency that probes incidents involving police that result in death or serious injuries.

There are four investigators and two forensic investigators assigned to the case, along with five witness officers and one subject officer, says the SIU in a press release issued Friday evening.

The SIU is urging anyone who may have information about this investigation to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529. The unit is also urging anyone who may have any video evidence related to this incident to upload that video through the SIU website.

Allegations involving sexual assault and police are also part of the SIU's mandate.

It is the responsibility of the SIU to determine whether an officer has committed a criminal offence in connection to the incident under investigation.

Results of SIU investigations are then reported to the attorney general.