NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. – Niagara Region police have been cleared of any wrongdoing in a shooting on Oct. 10, 2015 that left two officers and a suspect wounded by gunfire.
In a letter to the police force, Special Investigations Unit acting director Joseph Martino says there is “clear and compelling” evidence that none of the involved officers committed a crime during the incident.
He says he is satisfied that the officers were faced with a “clear and present danger” as the male suspect stepped from his apartment in the community of Fenwick and began shooting in their direction.
Martino says the officers were “well within their rights in responding with gunfire of their own,” adding one or more of the officers would have been killed had they not reacted as they did.
The incident remains under investigation by Niagara Region police, who say no further information will be released at this time.
The SIU investigates all incidents involving police where there is death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.
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