Ontario's Special Investigation Unit says a single bullet shot by an Ottawa police officer hit two people in separate rooms when police tried to gain control of a knife-wielding woman at an apartment building in the city's west end early Monday morning.

The SIU says Samantha Soderlind, 25, was shot in the chest by one of the officers; the bullet then passed through her body, went through the bedroom wall of the apartment, and struck Steven Lindsey, 27, in the face.

Lindsey was apparently at Soderlind's apartment at 810 Pinecrest Road to help her. He later called police and two officers responding to the call told him to wait in the bedroom while they tried to gain control of the situation.

Both received non-life threatening injuries and are recovering in hospital.

The SIU is called in when police are involved in incidents involving the public which result in death or serious injury.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Special Investigation Unit at 1-800-787-8529, ext. 1867.