B.C. woman dies after being shot by police in New Brunswick

EDMUNDSTON, N.B. (NEWS 1130) – A 26-year-old woman from British Columbia has been killed after a confrontation with police in New Brunswick.

Officers were called to check on the well-being of a woman in the city of Edmundston, which is on the border with Quebec, around 2:30 a.m. Thursday, local time, after a friend saw “something disturbing on her Facebook page,” the Edmundston Police Force says.

While responding to the call, police say she “charged” the officer who was attending “with a knife as soon as the door opened.”

Latest from police:
-last known address was in Port Alberni, BC.
-A friend called the police to check on her wellbeing after “seeing
something disturbing on her Facebook”
-police say they were charged with a knife as soon as the door opened.
-we don’t know # of shots
on @NEWS1130 https://t.co/OHc1IxaTJk

— Ash Kelly she/her (settler) (@AshDKelly) June 4, 2020

“The officer discharged a firearm,” a release reads. “Resuscitation efforts were made, but the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.”

An autopsy has been scheduled and the investigation is ongoing. It’s unclear how many times the woman was shot, and the police force has asked an independent agency to look into what happened to “ensure police actions were appropriate and conform to policing standards.”

More on @NEWS1130 Edmundston Police have requested the services of an independent agency to conduct a review of police actions.

"As a matter of accountability and transparency for the independent review, the New Brunswick RCMP is providing investigative and forensic support."

— Ash Kelly she/her (settler) (@AshDKelly) June 4, 2020

The woman’s last known address was in Port Alberni, B.C., but no other details about her identity are being released at this time.

The police-involved shooting comes at a time when officers across the country and in the U.S. are under intense scrutiny for their use of force against minorities.