No charges laid against RCMP officer whose gun was used to shoot Calli Vanderaa

WINNIPEG — Charges will not be laid against a Manitoba RCMP officer whose gun was used in a shooting that injured teenager, Calli Vanderaa.

On Oct. 24 Vanderaa was critically wounded after a bullet pierced her chest.

Vanderaa was with friends in the parking lot outside the Mac’s convenience store on Autumnwood Drive and Winakwa Road at around 12:30 a.m. when a shot was fired at the vehicle she was sitting in.

READ MORE: Winnipeg girl shot with stolen RCMP gun speaks publicly

The weapon used to shoot the young girl had previously been stolen from the cruiser of an off-duty RCMP officer outside his home, according to Winnipeg police.

On Tuesday afternoon at media conference, Const. Rob Carver of the Winnipeg police said they will not lay criminal charges against the RCMP officer.

“As part of the investigation into the incident, members of our crimes unit examined the circumstances surrounding the theft of the firearm involved in the shooting,” Carver said.

“Upon review of all the information, it was determined criminal charges were not supported and no charges will be laid against the RCMP officer.”

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One of the charges against the officer would have been “unsafe storage”, Carver said. But there wasn’t enough evidence to support this criminal charge.

An arrest has been made in this shooting.

WATCH: 16-year-old Winnipeg girl shot by stolen RCMP gun shows scar from gunshot, surgery

Matthew Wilfred McKay, 22, was charged with two counts of attempted murder, theft under $5,000, mischief under $5,000 and several weapons charges. Matthew Andrew Miles, 25, faces 30 charges including attempted murder.

While this is the end of the police investigation, the RCMP officer is still at the centre of a civil lawsuit.

In February, 2015 Vanderaa and her father said they are suing the RCMP and the officer who the weapon belonged to.

READ MORE: Girl shot with stolen RCMP gun suing Mounties, officer

Her lawyer Robert Tapper, filed the statement of claim. It alleges that the RCMP officer “left his police belt, replete with firearm, Taser and baton, visible on the backseat of the car.” The claim goes on to say the firearm was then stolen by the assailant, who shot Vanderaa.

According to the statement of claim Vanderaa “continues to have post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as the physiologic consequences of the injuries suffered by her. She will suffer for a lifetime.”

There is no specific amount of damages being sought.

None of the allegation contained in the statement of claim have been proven in court.

Tapper also told Global News that Cali is “very upset, very very upset,” by the conclusions of the police in this case against the RCMP officer.

Tapper said as part of their civil suit against the officer, they are scheduled to examine him for discovery Wednesday morning so “the timing of their disclosure is remarkable”.