Ontario’s police watchdog has cleared an OPP officer of any wrongdoing after discharging an “anti-riot weapon ENfield” or ARWEN at a man during a reported break-and-enter and stabbing in Omemee in July 2022.
According to the Special Investigations Unit, a break-and-enter and a stabbing at a James Street residence in Omemee was reported to City of Kawartha Lakes OPP at about 1 a.m. on July 5.
In his report, SIU director Joseph Martino says officers found one person with stab wounds and saw three men fleeing an apartment.
“There had been a previous stabbing at the residence the Saturday before (July 2),” he stated.
As a result, the OPP asked its “Level One containment team” to respond to the area. A search of the area located a machete and an air gun on the grounds of a nearby church. During the search, officers spotted a group of men who fled.
One officer chased one of the suspects into the backyard of a residence on Victoria Street, the report states.
Martino says the 19-year-old man did not comply with the officer’s commands. The officer then fired the ARWEN at the man three times.
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“Two of the shots hit the man,” the report states. “Shortly after this volley of shots, the man turned to face the officer, advanced a short distance, and was shot in the abdomen by another ARWEN round fired by the officer. The man was taken into custody without further incident. He had not suffered any serious injuries.”
Martino said the SIU concluded there were no reasonable grounds to believe the officer committed a criminal offence in his dealings with the suspect.
“There was no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case, and the file has been closed,” he concluded.
The SIU says its mandate was invoked because an ARWEN is classified as a firearm — defined as a barrelled weapon from which any shot, bullet or other projectile can be discharged and that is capable of causing serious bodily injury or death.
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