Updated: Tue Jun. 08 2010 19:06:21

ctvwinnipeg.ca

Ontario's special investigations unit is examining an incident after an Ontario Provincial Police officer shot a woman in Kenora on Monday night.

OPP said they were responding to a report of a domestic incident on First Street South around 8:30 p.m. when a woman wielding a knife confronted an officer and shots were fired.

Off-duty and on-duty officers provided first-aid to the woman and she was taken to hospital in Kenora. She's since been transferred to Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg.

The woman's family identified her as Helen Proulx, 39.

Dina Madamin, a friend of Proulx's, saw the shooting. About 10 minutes before the incident, Proulx had been drinking and officers were called.

"She had a butter knife in her hand and she was trying to slit her wrists and stab herself in the stomach," said Madamin.

Witnesses said a female officer told the Proulx repeatedly to drop the weapon and tried to grab it from her. Moments later Proulx apparently lunged at police and shots were fired.

Proulx's relatives told CTV News she was shot in the arm and in her side, shattering her pelvis.

Proulx's family thinks the officer panicked.

"A trained officer, trained in combat, should have known what to do. It's inexcusable," said Tom Keesick, the victim's uncle.

"I don't know why they had to shoot her twice," said Bruce Landon, Proulx's ex-husband.

The OPP is remaining tight-lipped about what happened and the province's independent special investigations unit is examining the shooting.

Proulx's relatives are now on their way to Winnipeg where she is recovering from surgery.

Family members also said they blame alcohol and add the situation might not have gone so wrong if liquor hadn't been involved.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact the special investigations unit at 1-800-787-8529.

The OPP said officer-involved shootings are rare. Investigators tell CTV News this is the first investigation of its type this year.

- with a report from CTV's Stacey Ashley