News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation Related to Man Shot by Waterloo Officer
Case Number: 22-OFI-118
Other News Releases Related to Case 22-OFI-118
SIU Investigating After Waterloo Officer Shoots Man in Cambridge
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that a Waterloo Regional Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with shooting and seriously injuring a 22-year-old man in Cambridge.
On April 23, 2022, the officer was called to the scene on Ironstone Drive by officers who reported that the man was possibly in possession of a firearm. Officers repeatedly ordered the man to keep his hands away from his pockets. The man retrieved what appeared to be a gun from his right front pants pocket and pointed it in the direction of the officers. He took a step in their direction and the officer shot the man four times, striking him twice – once in the chest and once in the hand. The man fell and officers handcuffed the man behind his back. The firearm was found to be an imitation weapon.
Director Martino concluded that the subject official acted to thwart a reasonably apprehended attack when he shot the man. In the result, he found no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer comported himself other than lawfully in his dealings with the man and the shooting, leaving no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case. The file has been closed.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (police officers as well as special constables with the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers with the Legislative Protective Service) that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, the Director of the SIU must
- consider whether the official has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
- depending on the evidence, cause a criminal charge to be laid against the official where grounds exist for doing so, or close the file without any charges being laid
- publicly report the results of its investigations
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SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES