News Release
No Charges Against Waterloo Officer After Man with Knife Shot in Kitchener
Case Number: 21-OFI-263
Other News Releases Related to Case 21-OFI-263
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that a Waterloo Regional Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with shooting a 19-year-old man in August 2021.
On the evening of August 18, 2021, the man, armed with a knife, advanced toward the officer in a parking lot on Ottawa Street South in Kitchener. The man ignored the officer’s commands to stop. The officer fired once at the man, striking him. He collapsed and got back up, charging toward the officer. The officer fired another single shot, followed by another seven rounds at the man. While the officer attempted to get away, he dropped his firearm and the man picked it up. There was a physical altercation and the officer was able to disarm the man. Officers took the man into custody and he was taken to hospital. He suffered gunshot wounds to the left arm, and left and right legs.
Director Martino found no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer comported himself other than lawfully throughout his engagement with the man. Accordingly, there was no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case. The file has been closed.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (police officers as well as special constables with the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers with the Legislative Protective Service) that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, the Director of the SIU must
- consider whether the official has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
- depending on the evidence, cause a criminal charge to be laid against the official where grounds exist for doing so, or close the file without any charges being laid
- publicly report the results of its investigations
Lisez ce communiqué en français.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES