Skip to content

Manitoulin property owner reported the presence of an unwanted man in yesterday's shooting says SIU

Officers located the man - who was inside a trailer - and there was an interaction

The province’s Special Investigations Unit is continuing to investigate the circumstances yesterday on Manitoulin Island that led to the deaths of an Ontario Provincial Police officer and a 60-year-old man. 

This person is not being identified at this time until his identity can be confirmed and next of kin notifications are complete. 

According to an SIU news release the preliminary information indicates the following:

  • On November 19, 2020, two OPP officers attended a property on Hindman Trail in Gore Bay after the property owner reported the presence of an unwanted man.
  • Soon after arriving, officers located the man - who was inside a trailer - and there was an interaction.
  • At approximately 11 a.m., there was an exchange of gunfire between Constable Marc Hovingh and the man, resulting in both individuals being struck.
  • They were transported to the hospital where both men succumbed to their injuries.

Three investigators and two forensic investigators have been assigned to the case. Post-mortems are scheduled for tomorrow morning in Toronto.

The other officer on the scene did not sustain any injuries. 

The OPP has requested the assistance of the Greater Sudbury Police Service to investigate the homicide of PC Hovingh.

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.

Meanwhile, the mayor of the town on Ontario's Manitoulin Island says the community is reeling.

Dan Osborne, mayor of Gore Bay, says news of the incident quickly spread through the small island community.

He says it's the kind of place where everyone knows everyone, and the loss is "devastating."