THUNDER BAY – News – A Thunder Bay Police Services Officer has been cleared by Ontario’s Special Investigation Unit.
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that any Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the discharge of Anti-riot Weapon ENfields (ARWENs) at a 32-year-old man in August.
SIU report, on the afternoon of August 11, 2022, a 911 call was received by the TBPS of a domestic disturbance in progress at a residence.
The caller noted that inside the residence was a man that was of interest to police. In fact, the man was wanted in connection with a murder investigation. Officers contained the residence, cut off traffic, and told people in the vicinity to stay in their homes.
Emergency Task Unit (ETU) officers were among the officers dispatched. The officers assumed positions around the house and its two entrances. There ensued a standoff of several hours during which individuals from inside the home exited and surrendered to police. With the use of a loudhailer, officers called out to the person of interest to exit the home and surrender as they had a warrant for his arrest.
Over the course of hours, the man exited and re-entered the home several times. At various times, he told the officers he had a firearm and that they should shoot him. During one of the times the man exited the home, he was struck multiple times by ARWEN rounds fired by two officers. The man re-entered the home. Shortly after, the ETU entered the home, located the man and deployed a CEW to immobilize him.
Director Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that either officer who discharged their ARWEN comported themselves other than lawfully in their dealings with the man. There was no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case and the file has been closed.
