IIO Clears Victoria Police Officer in Fatal Shooting (2014-198)

News Release
Independent Investigations Office
For Immediate Posting

Surrey – The Independent Investigations Office is issuing a public report today clearing a Victoria Police Department officer of a fatal shooting that took place on November 1, 2014.

Based on a review of all of the evidence collected during the course of the investigation and the law as it applies, the Chief Civilian Director of the IIO does not consider that any police officer may have committed an offence under any enactment and therefore the matter will not be referred to Crown counsel for consideration of charges.

Background

On November 1, 2014 VicPD officers responded to a 911 call from a woman reporting that her son had broken into her house and threatened himself with a knife. Four police officers entered the residence in response to the 911 call. Officers attempted to take the affected person into custody. Officers reported that, without warning or provocation, the affected person ran towards the officers armed with a knife. An officer reported that he shot the affected person with a less lethal “bean bag shotgun” which had no effect. Immediately thereafter, an officer fired one shot from his pistol, which struck the affected person in the neck, resulting in a fatal injury. Officers attempted to cover the wound to stem the bleeding, attempted CPR and called for emergency medical services (which was staged nearby) to immediately attend to the affected person.

The IIO was notified by VicPD and investigated as the death of the affected person is within the mandate of the IIO. The purpose of the IIO investigation was to determine whether an officer may have committed any offence during the course of their contact with the affected person.

Evidence examined in this investigation included statements made by civilians, paramedics, witness officers and a subject officer; medical evidence; firearms evidence; dispatch records; police radio-to-radio communications and other forensic evidence collected from the scene. A use of force report on the policy on firearms and use of force options was also considered in reaching this decision.

There is no evidence to support that the involved officers had any malice against, or motivation to do harm to, the affected person or use any force against him other than what was reasonably necessary to take him into lawful custody.

The full public report can be found here.

Marten Youssef
Acting Director, Public Engagement & Policy
Marten.Youssef@iiobc.ca

Aidan Buckley
Communications & Stakeholder Relations Liaison
Aidan.Buckley@iiobc.ca