Ontario’s police watchdog has cleared a Halton police officer connected with an early summer shooting incident at an apartment in Burlington.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) says the incident involved several officers who were engaged with a 43-year-old man during a June 27 disturbance call at a complex in the area of Dynes Road and Prospect Street.
In a report, SIU director Joseph Martino concluded a “resort to gunfire” constituted reasonable force during a two-hour-plus standoff outside of a unit between officers and an occupant characterized by witnesses as “reacting nonsensically.”
During the occurrence, officers reported the man opening his door momentarily several times before closing it.
The last time he revealed himself, Martino said he “pointed what appeared to be a gun at the officers” before retreating.
The complainant was struck by a round, taken to hospital and treated for a gunshot wound as well as fractures to his left arm.
“There are no reasonable grounds to conclude that the subject officer comported himself other than within the limits of the criminal law when he shot the complainant,” Martino wrote.
“There is no basis for proceeding with charges in this case. The file is closed.”
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