Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has confirmed that Fred Preston, 70, died in hospital Thursday night.

Preston was charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Ontario Provincial Police Cst. Vu Pham on Monday.

Preston had been in critical condition in London’s Victoria Hospital after being struck several times during a shoot-out with police. His relatives said he died after being taken off life support.

Pham, 37, was in the process of pulling over a vehicle when the suspect allegedly pulled out a gun and opened fire.

"He attempted to stop a vehicle and was confronted by an armed suspect, he was critically shot by a suspect," OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino said during a press conference Monday.  "Officers located the suspect and he was also shot"

Pham, a married father of three, was pronounced dead later on Monday. Thousands of police officers are expected to attend his funeral Friday in Wingham.