Halifax Regional Police are investigating Tuesday's shooting in Wagmatcook.

The fatal shooting of a man by an RCMP officer is raising questions in the small Cape Breton community of Wagmatcook.

John Andrew Simon, 44, was shot and killed Tuesday night after officers responded to a 911 call about a domestic dispute on the First Nation reserve.

Maxine York, a neighbour of Simon, said the community is in shock.

"They're grieving, especially his mom. I feel really bad for her," York said, describing Simon as a friend who was kind to everybody.

Carl Basque wonders whether the altercation could have been resolved without his cousin dying.

"Why didn't they shoot him in the leg or the shoulder area and not in the chest?" Basque said.

Basque didn't witness the shooting, but some people in the community said they heard a number of gunshots.

RCMP are saying little about what happened immediately before the officer fired.

Sgt. Mark Gallagher, spokesman for RCMP in Nova Scotia, said a woman who called 911 had left the home by the time two officers arrived at 8:45 p.m. Simon was alone inside.

"We were informed that there were firearms involved," Gallagher said.

Officers maintained contact with Simon over the phone for about 90 minutes before an officer fired.

"They were trying to get the person to surrender peacefully," said Gallagher. "They had to ask for assistance from other area detachments to assist. The emergency response team was en route at the time, but unfortunately things transpired a little too quickly."

Gallagher didn't say whether Simon had a gun or any other weapon.

Simon was given first aid at the scene, but he died a short time later in hospital in nearby Baddeck.

Gallagher said police met with the chief and band council Wednesday.

"It's certainly a shock to a small community," he said, adding that people were co-operating with the investigation.

Halifax Regional Police are leading the investigation into the shooting, along with an RCMP crime unit.

With files from the Canadian Press