A 30-year-old man has died after being shot by police during an altercation early Thursday morning at the Elmvale Acres Shopping Centre parking lot, and Ontario's police watchdog is investigating.

Ottawa police were called to the area of St. Laurent Boulevard and Russell Road for a "suspicious incident" at 7:53 a.m., police said.

Audio from Broadcastify, an online service that provides access to emergency dispatch calls, indicates a man dressed in black, wearing a baseball hat with the word "Dope" on it, was seen walking into the mall holding a knife in his hand.

The Special Investigations Unit later confirmed the 30-year-old man was armed, but didn't say what kind of weapon he was carrying.

"Two officers encountered the man on the mall's property, and there was an interaction. At least one police officer discharged his firearm and the man was struck," the SIU said in a news release.

The responding officers have now been identified as constables Thanh Tran and Daniel Vincelette.

A Taser was also deployed during the incident, sources told CBC News.

Shireen Moodley was in a nearby laundromat when she heard multiple rapid-fire gunshots this morning. Police say a 30-year-old man died in the incident. 0:44

Ottawa paramedics said the man suffered critical, life-threatening injuries and was taken to the Ottawa Hospital's Civic campus trauma unit, where he was pronounced dead.

He has not been identified.

A male Ottawa police officer suffered minor injuries during the altercation, police said. Sources told CBC News the officer was cut on his forehead.

The officer was taken to the Ottawa Hospital's General campus for treatment and was later released, the SIU said.

Another officer was also taken to the General for assessment, and was also released.

A Taser, left, and a baseball hat, right, on the sidewalk at the Elmvale Acres Shopping Centre after a shooting involving Ottawa police and an armed 30-year-old man. (Giacomo Panico/CBC)

Rapid-fire gunshots

Shireen Moodley was in a nearby laundromat when she heard multiple rapid-fire gunshots.

"We turned around, looked out, saw the Ottawa police over by the side of the Royal Bank at the Elmvale mall," she said.

Moodley ran outside and saw two police officers trying to revive an unconscious man on the ground. He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his chest, she said.

Police officers cordoned off the southern end of the parking lot near the Royal Bank. (Christian Milette/Radio-Canada)

Two other officers Moodley described as special constables soon arrived with a bag and began helping to treat the man on the ground.

Investigators cordoned off an area in the southern parking lot, in front of the Royal Bank and Loblaws.

OC Transpo has closed the mall's transit stop until further notice.

The SIU investigates cases of death, serious injury and allegations of sexual assault involving police in the province.

The agency is asking anyone with information to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529, and urges anyone who may have video evidence to upload it through the SIU website.