REPENTIGNY, QUE. -- A man was shot several times and killed by police officers in Repentigny who were responding to a call in a residential area on Sunday, and Quebec's police watchdog is investigating.

According to preliminary information provided to the Quebec police watchdog (BEI), which has launched an investigation, officers from the Repentigny Police Department responded to a 911 call shortly after 7:30 a.m. regarding a confused and disoriented person armed with a knife.

The BEI report says that when emergency services arrived on the scene, police and paramedics reportedly found the 38-year-old man with another individual outside.

"Officers attempted to ticket the subject who fled on foot. The suspect had in his possession a knife and was acting threatening towards the police," reads the BEI report.

The report continues by saying officers tried to reason with him and even used pepper spray to subdue him, still without success.

The officers then opened fire and shot him multiple times, killing him.

Six BEI investigators have been assigned to the case.

A large security perimeter has been set up in the area to protect the scene.

Neighbours have told various media outlets that they heard the gunshots.

The BEI is asking anyone who may have witnessed this event to contact them via their website.

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 1, 2021.