Police officer shot, wanted man arrested near Timmins, Ont.

An Ontario Provincial Police officer is in stable condition after being shot during a search for a man wanted for questioning in a recent homicide near Timmins, Ont.

It emerged Thursday that five OPP officers discharged their guns, slightly wounding the suspect.

The officer was shot "as a result of an interaction on an island on Night Hawk Lake in the Timmins area," the OPP said in a news release early Wednesday evening.

"An officer was injured and transported to the hospital and is in stable condition. Lucas MacDonald, age 43, of Egan Township, was apprehended and taken into custody."

Thursday, the Special Investigations Unit said it invoked its mandate in the case because police fired their guns at MacDonald while trying to arrest him on Moose Island on Night Hawk Lake.

In a news release, the SIU said MacDonald was located "and at some point, there was an exchange of gunfire."

"Five officers discharged their firearms, but the man did not suffer any serious injury," the SIU said.

"One officer was struck. The man was arrested."

Four investigators and two forensic investigators have been assigned to the case, the SIU said.

"At this time, five subject officials, three witness officials and one civilian employee have been designated."

MacDonald was wanted for questioning in the homicide of 30-year-old Marcel Thoma from Petawawa.

Lucas MacDonald, 43, was arrested Wednesday following a shootout with Ontario Provincial Police. One officer was shot and wounded during the operation. (OPP photo)

Thoma was shot to death and his remains found in a wooded area in Egan Township, near Shillington, on May 23.

Police have been searching for MacDonald since then, warning the public not to approach him should they see him and call police instead.

The search intensified Wednesday when police closed Kettle Lakes Provincial Park and put up wanted posters along Highway 101 between Shillington and Municipal Road.

Marcel Thoma, 30, was found shot to death in woods in Egan Township. (Facebook)

"We believe that he's out there and we really would like to speak with him," OPP Const. Michelle Simard, of the South Porcupine detachment, told CTV News earlier in the day.

"Our search has been extensive, beginning like in the east of the city, so east of Porcupine, all the way to Shillington. So we have people with boots on the ground actively looking for Mr. MacDonald.”

The SIU is urging anyone who may have information about the investigation, including video or photos, to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529 or online. 

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