News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Toronto Shooting
Case Number: 07-TFI-253
Other News Releases Related to Case 07-TFI-253
The SIU assigned four investigators and three forensic investigators to probe the circumstances surrounding this incident.
The SIU investigation determined that at 8:45 p.m. the Toronto Police Service (TPS) was called to an armed robbery in progress at the Shoppers Drug Mart, 620 Keele St. The male youth who robbed the store with a handgun fled before the TPS arrived. A citizen followed the youth at a distance, and when an officer arrived the citizen was able to tell the officer where the youth went.
The TPS officer located the youth in a laneway and saw that the youth was armed with a handgun. The officer told the youth to drop the gun several times, but instead the youth pointed the gun at the officer. The officer fired seven shots at the youth striking him three times. The youth fell to the ground where he was handcuffed and taken into custody. The youth was taken to hospital where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries. An unloaded 45-calibre handgun was recovered at the scene. A knife was also found in his possession.
Director Cornish said, "The youth was found in possession of an unloaded 45-calibre handgun which he pointed at the TPS officer. I am led to believe the officer had a reasonable basis to fear for her life. The officer had no way of knowing the gun was not loaded. The officer was justified in meeting that threat with potentially lethal force. Fortunately the youth survived."
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (municipal, regional and provincial police officers, police officers with the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, 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