SIU clears officer in Sudbury shooting
Sudbury officer was in a vulnerable position during downtown encounter with suspect
An investigation has cleared a Sudbury Police officer of any wrong doing after he shot a 35-year-old man in the shoulder last October.
The province's Special Investigation Unit says the incident happened when a man who'd been drinking was reported to be driving from Hanmer into downtown Sudbury.
The SIU said the suspect did not have a valid drivers’ licence, ownership or insurance for the vehicle.
A Sudbury Police officer went to pull the man over, but he didn't stop.
He then followed the suspect into a dead end street.
That is when the suspect turned around and drove toward the officer, who was no longer in his car.
The officer then shot his handgun at the man twice — one bullet shattered the driver’s window and the second bullet entered and exited the soft tissue of the man’s shoulder.
The SIU said the officer was justified in firing his gun as he was in a position of vulnerability.
The suspect continued to drive until he came to the end of a road, where he abandoned his vehicle and ran to hide behind some bushes.
He was arrested and sent to hospital for treatment.
The SIU is the agency that investigates cases involving police where there has been a death, injury or allegation of sexual assault.
According to a media release from the agency, the SIU assigned four investigators and two forensic investigators to probe the circumstances of this incident.
As part of the investigation, 10 witness officers and eight civilian witnesses were interviewed. The subject officer declined to be interviewed or provide the SIU with a copy of his notes, which is his legal right. He did provide a signed statement, however.