An internal review of a shooting incident in Cambridge last spring has determined Waterloo Regional Police Service's policies and procedures around use of force on calls involving people who are mentally ill or emotionally disturbed were not at fault for what happened and is not recommending any changes as a result of it.
Ontario's police watchdog, the Special Investigations Unit, cleared the officer involved of any wrongdoing last August following its investigation of the April 2022 incident in which a 22-year-old Cambridge man was shot and seriously injured during a wellness check.
On April 23, 2022, the man called police, reported having "a serious problem" and requested police respond to his residence in Cambridge immediately.
When officers arrived to the Ironstone Drive address, they found the man outside along with his sister who told the officers her brother suffered from mental health issues, was on medications and was experiencing a psychotic episode.
Officers encouraged the man to go with them to the hospital, but he ignored the officers and walked out into the middle of the road.
Officers noticed an object resembling a firearm in the man’s pocket and took cover behind their police service vehicles.
A fourth officer, a supervisor, arrived and took a position of cover behind a police service vehicle. Fearing the man had a firearm, the supervisor and another officer drew their firearms. The other two officers drew their conductive energy weapons.
As officers tried to calm the man down, he became agitated and threatened to shoot them.
In the midst of officers trying to de-escalate the situation, the man pulled out what appeared to be a firearm, pointed it at the officers and quickly advanced towards them.
One of the officers, the supervisor, discharged his firearm four times at the man, striking him once in the chest and once in the hand. The man fell to the ground and dropped "the firearm."
The officer observed "the firearm" at the man’s side and advanced towards him to arrest him. The man grabbed what turned out to be an imitation firearm and pointed it at the officer who was close enough to grab the man’s hand and force it out of his grip.
The man was bleeding heavily, but was still able to physically resist the officer’s attempts to restrain him. He was eventually placed under arrest and handcuffed.
Paramedics arrived and transported the man to Hamilton General Hospital where he was treated for serious injuries.
The SIU launched an investigation the next day, assigning four investigators and two forensic investigators to the case.
That investigation determined there was no criminal conduct by the officer.
On, August 19, 2022, the SIU advised, in a letter from director, Joseph Martino, the file had been closed and no further action was contemplated.
In the director’s view, there were no reasonable grounds in the evidence to proceed with criminal charges against the officer.
Following that ruling, the WRPS formed an independent review committee of senior leaders. They conducted their own Section 13 investigation to determine the officer properly profiled the man’s actions as having the potential to cause “'serious bodily harm or death,' as per the Ontario Use of Force Model and was justified in discharging his firearm as per the Waterloo Regional Police Service Use of Force procedure."
The review included a comprehensive review of SIU records, police records and witness statements to determine "there are no recommendations for any changes to the Service’s policies and/or procedures."
That report is being presented to the police service board this week by Chief of Police Mark Crowell.
