RCMP ask for independent review after officer shoots man armed with machete in St. Stephen, N.B.

The RCMP logo is seen outside Royal Canadian Mounted Police "E" Division Headquarters, in Surrey, B.C., on April 13, 2018.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

HALIFAX -

The New Brunswick RCMP is asking for an independent agency to conduct a review of police actions after an officer shot a man armed with a machete in St. Stephen, N.B. Thursday morning.

At approximately 4 a.m. on Sept. 16, officers with the St. Stephen RCMP Detachment responded to a report of an individual in mental distress with a weapon outside of a home on Ross Avenue.

RCMP say when officers arrived, they were confronted by a man armed with a machete.

"The man refused to drop the weapon when instructed to do so and advanced towards police," wrote police in a news release.

Police say an RCMP officer discharged a firearm. First aid was immediately administered at the scene and the man was taken to hospital with a gunshot wound, according to police.

RCMP say no one else was injured.

"Use of force is never an action taken lightly," says Cpl. Hans Ouellette of the New Brunswick RCMP. "We are committed to being accountable and transparent to the communities we serve about police actions. That is why it is standard practice for the New Brunswick RCMP to seek an independent agency to review our actions when there are serious incidents involving our police officers."

RCMP in New Brunswick have asked the Department of Justice and Public Safety to identify an agency to conduct the independent review since the province does not have an independent review agency

The New Brunswick RCMP say they will cooperate fully in the review.

"The members involved in the incident have been offered support services, and have been placed on administrative duties pending the outcome of the review," read the release.