Police in Thunder Bay have been cleared in an incident wherein an officer shot at a suspect waving a reproduction handgun with a less-lethal weapon.
The incident befell March 1, when the Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) responded to a report of a male “brandishing what seemed to be a pistol” at a purchasing complicated on Fort William Highway.
“Security at the complex had contacted police to report the presence of male (the complainant) lying on the ground behind Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen with what appeared to be a pistol,” the Particular Investigations Unit (SIU) mentioned in a information launch.
“Uniformed officers were first to arrive. The Complainant refused to drop the gun at their direction and threatened to shoot them.”
Ontario’s police watchdog has decided there are not any cheap grounds to cost the officer who shot a non-lethal weapon at a suspect waving a reproduction handgun because the TBPS member couldn’t realize it was not an actual firearm the complainant was holding.
The reproduction handgun ‘air pistol’ recovered from a Thunder Bay suspect by police following an incident on March 1, 2024. (Equipped/Ontario Particular Investigations Unit/Determine 2)
The report
In keeping with the SIU report, officers on the scene believed it was a handgun and an officer shot the suspect with 4 rounds from a .40 mm Penn Arms Launcher Powerpoint ensuing within the suspect being taken to hospital.
“At around 5:00 p.m., the officer fired his weapon five times in succession at the complainant,” reads the SIU report.
“Several of the rounds, if not all, struck the complainant, but he remained possessed of what appeared to be a pistol.”
The Penn Arms Launcher is an anti-riot weapon that’s usually utilized by regulation enforcement officers to clear demonstrations. The launcher fires quite a lot of projectiles similar to plastic bullets, tear fuel and less-lethal batons and is assessed as a firearm.
The .40 mm Penn Arms Multi-Shot Launcher that was fired by police at a suspect in Thunder Bay on March 1, 2024. (Equipped/Ontario Particular Investigations Unit/Determine 3)
A launcher was loaded with foam baton munitions and a fifth projectile was additionally fired however didn’t strike the suspect.
A discharged projectile the investigators believed to be a foam baton munition recovered following the police capturing incident on March 1, 2024. (Equipped/Ontario Particular Investigations Unit/Determine 5)
The SIU report signifies that the suspect dropped his weapon when once more instructed by law enforcement officials shortly after being struck by the less-lethal munitions.
“A police dog was released and bit the complainant’s leg, after which officers moved in and took him into custody,” mentioned SIU officers.
“The complainant was taken to hospital after his arrest. He suffered bruising as a result of being struck by less-lethal projectiles.”
No wrongdoing
Interviews with the complainant and video footage from the scene led the SIU to clear the officer of wrongdoing.
SIU director Joseph Martino wrote he was happy the officer’s use of power was justified since police couldn’t make sure the suspect had an air pistol and never an actual handgun.
“When the complainant refused to rid himself of the pistol, the officers have been inside their rights in searching for to neutralize a probably deadly danger by firing a less-than-lethal firearm on the complainant from a distance,” he mentioned.
“The use by the (officer) of his launcher promised to do exactly that with out the infliction of great harm.”
Martino mentioned using the launcher didn’t obtain the officer’s aim because the suspect remained in possession of his weapon – although it might have persuaded him to give up when he did.
“For the foregoing causes, there isn’t any foundation for continuing with legal charges. The file is closed,” he wrote to finish his report.
Learn the total report right here.
Thunder Bay police known as a media convention to ask members of the general public to watch out with reproduction firearms after the incident as they are often practically inconceivable to discern from the true factor throughout a name.
