An RCMP officer is recovering from head injuries, which required him to be placed in a medically-induced coma, after being struck by a stolen vehicle and seriously injured on Saturday in Truro, N.S. After multiple attempts to stop the driver of the stolen vehicle, the incident ended with the officer fatally shooting the man.

"He was initially placed in an induced coma," said Felix Cacchione, executive director of the Serious Incident Response Team. "I understand that he is no longer unconscious and is able to communicate, but we have not been able to interview him yet."

At 2:30 a.m. on Willow Street in Truro, officials say the officer spotted a vehicle that had been reported stolen from Cumberland County at a stoplight.

"The subject officer was coming around to the driver's window, the car pulled out and struck the officer,” says director of the Serious Incident Response Team, Felix Cacchione. “He ended up on the hood of the vehicle and was hanging on as the vehicle sped off, and the officer discharged his firearm."

It is unknown how many shots the RCMP officer fired or how many bullets struck the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene. RCMP is not releasing many details about the case, but do say the officer was working alone at the time.

"There was a series of events that was involved here – not just the one incident where the police officer fired his weapon in response to being struck by the vehicle," says Nova Scotia RCMP spokesperson, Cpl. Jennifer Clarke. "It's very, very normal for RCMP members to be on patrol by themselves any time of day – day or night. That's very common for us and in fact, it's quite routine."

The matter is being investigated by SIRT, which investigates all serious incidents which arise from the actions of police, and will determine whether or not there is an allegation of wrongdoing.

Police shootings are considered rare in the area; however, a similar case did occur on Somerset Street in Moncton, which SIRT crew members were already investigating when they were called to investigate the latest incident in Truro.

Meanwhile, officials say they are still attempting to notify the deceased man’s next of kin.

Cacchione says SIRT has spoken with witnesses in Truro and obtained video footage from the area. However, they’re asking anyone with any relevant information to contact them,

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Natasha Pace