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No Charges Against RCMP Officers Involved in Fatal Shooting
The province's independent Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) released a report today regarding the investigation into the fatal shooting of a Dartmouth area man.
Beginning in the late evening of Saturday, April 18, 2020 RCMP Colchester District Office received several 911 calls of gunshots and fires burning in the area of Portapique, NS. Several RCMP officers responded to the call for service and over the next several hours, witnessed an unfolding tragedy.
The following Sunday morning, several more calls were received of burning buildings and fatally shot individuals in the Wentworth / Debert area. A massive manhunt was undertaken by RCMP units in the Colchester and East Hants areas.
As RCMP members drove into the Enfield Irving Big Stop gas station, the suspect was observed in a vehicle unknown to the officers. He was in possession of a pistol and when he saw the officers, he raised his firearm. Fearing for their personal safety and the safety of the public, the officers fired multiple shots at the suspect, striking and killing him.
The investigation found it was reasonable for the officers to conclude their lives were in danger and the use of their firearms to shoot the suspect was justified in these circumstances. Therefore, no charges are warranted against any of the officers involved.
A complete copy of the report is available at http://sirt.novascotia.ca.
SIRT is responsible for investigating all serious incidents involving police in Nova Scotia. Investigations are under the direction and control of independent civilian director Felix Cacchione, who is solely responsible for decisions respecting the laying of any charge.
Media Contact:
Felix Cacchione
Director
902-424-8400 (o)
902-718-9707 (c)
The Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner oversees and monitors complaints and investigations involving the alleged non-criminal misconduct of municipal police officers in Nova Scotia. The Nova Scotia Police Review Board conducts hearings of complaints when the complainant has appealed the decision made by the police agency. More information is available at https://www.novascotia.ca/opcc
