The 44-year-old man fatally shot during a
confrontation with two Winnipeg police officers
Monday night was discharged from the military three
years ago after a 23-year career.
Police said Roy Thomas Bell of Winnipeg was
allegedly armed with a firearm and baseball bat when
he was shot outside an apartment at 34 Langside St.
Bell joined the Princess Patricia's Canadian
Light Infantry in 1981 and was a postal clerk when
he was released in 2004, said Karen Johnstone, a
spokeswoman in Ottawa for the Canadian Forces.
He was a corporal at the time of his release,
Johnstone said. "The death of Mr. Bell is a tragedy,
and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family,"
she said.
Johnstone did not say why he was released from
the military. He had been stationed across Canada
during his career, but had never been deployed
overseas, the Canadian Forces said.
Johnstone and police would not comment about
reports Bell suffered from post-traumatic stress
disorder and depression, or whether the conditions
may have played a role in Monday's incident.
LONG STRUGGLE
Media reports indicated Bell had a long struggle
with mental health issues. Friends said he had not
been acting like himself lately and that his
medication had been cut in half. He reportedly drove
to Langside on Monday night to confront a friend he
was arguing with when cops intervened, according to
one report.
Witness Patrick Murdock told Sun Media he heard a
man yell, "F---ing shoot me already" before he heard
gunshots.
Police would not comment yesterday on whether
Bell purposely put himself in a position where
police were forced to shoot him.
Police were called to the apartment block when a
tenant said he received a threatening phone call
from a man who was on his way there.
The officers met Bell at the rear entrance a
short time after he arrived.
Bell refused their orders to drop the firearm and
they were forced to shoot, police said.
One of the officers first used a Taser but, for
whatever reason, it was ineffective, police said.
Police spokesman Sgt. Kelly Dennison said Tuesday
the police service believes the officers acted
appropriately.
The homicide unit is investigating, but had not
yet interviewed the officers as of yesterday, said
police spokesman Const. Pat Chabidon.
Bell was the second person to die during a
confrontation with Winnipeg police this year.