SIU not charging WRPS officer in October shooting

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) will not charge a Waterloo Regional Police officer after the officer shot a 29-year-old Kitchener man in the arm.

Waterloo Regional Police were called to the area of Veronica Drive on the morning of Oct. 25, 2023, at around 9:45 a.m., to check on the condition of a driver sleeping in the driver’s seat of a Jeep. Police later learned that the vehicle was stolen from a parking lot at a townhouse complex located at 211 Veronica Drive.

After the incident, WRPS Inspector Tanya Klingenberg held a media briefing where WRPS said an officer had an interaction with the man.

“An officer had an interaction with an adult male,” she said. “The interaction resulted in the officer discharging their firearm. The person sustained injuries and have been transported to hospital.”

The SIU said that the man was believed to be impaired, ignored commands to exit the Jeep and he drove forward, with one of the officers moving from its path. The report stated that the officer “found himself caught in a small space between a cruiser and the moving Jeep, fearing that he may be crushed. The officer then fired one shot, which struck the man’s left forearm.”

Joseph Martino, director of the SIU said that he was satisfied that the officer fired his gun believing it necessary to protect himself from a reasonably apprehended assault.

At the time of the incident, SIU spokesperson Kristy Denette told CityNews 570 that the driver fled down a pedestrian trail where the vehicle came to a rest.

“He ended up down a pedestrian trail from what I understand and came to a stop where he would have been arrested and taken to hospital for his injuries,” said Denette.

The SIU said the driver was found approximately 300 metres west of the Jeep on the trail. Police found a blood stain on the trail, blood on the steering wheel and on the centre console. Police officers also found an open bottle of alcohol on the floor of the front passenger compartment.

Martino said that the only thing that had the stopping power to prevent the man from turning towards the officer was the officer’s gun.

“There was an immediate need to prevent the Complainant from purposefully turning towards the officer, and only a firearm had the stopping power required of the moment. No further shots were fired once the Jeep passed the SO and he was no longer in danger,” said Martino.