SIU says Guelph police officer won’t be charged after February shooting

A Guelph police officer won’t face any criminal charges.

The Special Investigations Unit said it found no reasonable grounds to believe a police officer committed a criminal offence in connection with shooting a 44-year-old man following an investigation.

In February, the province’s police watchdog said Guelph police responded to a stalled vehicle at the intersection of Paisley Road and Silvercreek Parkway.

Authorities said they smelled alcohol on the driver’s breath. The man allegedly had a hatchet and refused to listen to officers’ repeated direction to drop the weapon.

The SIU said the officer then shot at the man seven times and he was hit in the left forearm, right hip and right buttock.

Under the circumstances, SIU director Joseph Martino said the watchdog was satisfied that it constituted reasonable force.