News Release

On December 26, 2024, Thunder Bay Police Service officers were dispatched to Highway 11/17 following 911 calls about a man walking alongside the highway with a firearm. When the first officer came upon the man, the man swore at the officer and pointed a shotgun at the officer. The officer drove away. The decision was made to close the highways. Another officer drove by the man. This officer brought his cruiser to a stop and went to the front end of the cruiser with his rifle. The officer repeatedly directed the man to drop his weapon. Instead, the man advanced on the officer. The man raised his shotgun in the officer’s direction and pulled the trigger. The shotgun failed to discharge. The man pulled the trigger again and this time the cruiser door was struck. The officer, who had taken cover behind the rear passenger side of the cruiser, was not struck. From a distance, another officer fired his semi-automatic pistol a single time at the man, and the man was struck in the right chest. The officers approached the man on the ground, secured him in handcuffs, and rendered first aid pending the arrival of paramedics. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that an officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s injury.

Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.