OPP officer cleared in shooting of man with 'a knife in each hand' near Kingston
'No reasonable grounds to believe that an officer committed a criminal offence,' SIU concludes
Ontario's police watchdog has cleared an OPP member involved in the shooting of a man who allegedly approached officers with knives in a community northwest of Kingston earlier this year.
On Tuesday, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) announced the outcome of its probe into the Jan. 17, 2025, incident at a home in the village of Camden East in Stone Mills Township.
According to the SIU's report, someone called the police to report that they'd been threatened by a knife-wielding man. Officers arrived and saw a man, 41, inside a home with a knife in each hand. The officers retreated after the man told them they were not allowed inside.
Over the next hour or so, the man "steadfastly refused to disarm himself" or surrender to police, according to the report.
Some time later, the man left the house and approached the officers while still in possession of the knives, according to the SIU.
Two officers each fired their anti-riot weapons, which can launch a variety of projectiles including plastic bullets, tear gas and less lethal "batons."
Another officer — the subject of the SIU investigation — fired his semi-automatic pistol, injuring the man. He was taken into custody and treated at hospital for bullet wounds to his left torso and left leg.
"There were no reasonable grounds to believe that an officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the shooting," the SIU concluded.
The SIU invokes its mandate to investigate police conduct that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault or the discharge of a firearm at a person. It can recommend criminal charges.
Approximately one month after the shooting, the OPP announced it had charged a 41-year-old man with four counts of attempting to commit murder, plus other crimes.