Two people are dead following a violent domestic attack in Thornhill late Monday night.

A 47-year-old woman was stabbed to death and a 50-year-old man, believed to be her husband, was shot dead by police at the Cottonwood Court home, near John Street and Don Mills Road.

York Regional Police called in the province’s Special Investigations Unit, an independent agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault In a statement, the SIU said the man died after he was shot by police during a confrontation at the home.

Neighbours described the pair, whose names were not immediately released, as a Middle Eastern couple who had lived in the three-storey home for about two years with their two daughters.

“It’s very upsetting,” said Evelyn Gildemeester, as she headed for a doctor’s appointment and drove past a line of police vehicles. The street was shut down due to the probe by the SIU and the York police homicide squad.

 “I’m really surprised. We’ve lived here 22 years and there’s never been anything like this happening before,” she added.

“I really feel sad for the family. They have two kids,” said Claire Sun, who was jolted awake by the sound of a single gunshot at about 11:30 p.m.

“I didn’t realize it was a gunshot until later, because it sounded like a door slamming and I was just falling asleep,” said Sun.