Sask. police watchdog says officer who killed man during chase acted appropriately
CBC
The police officer who shot and killed a 34-year-old man will not face criminal charges after the provincial police watchdog decided he acted appropriately given the situation.
Saskatchewan's Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) released its final report into the incident on Tuesday morning. SIRT is an independent, civilian-led unit responsible for investigating serious incidents involving on and off-duty police in Saskatchewan.
It cleared the Prince Albert Police Service officer of any wrongdoing.
According to SIRT's investigation, the officer shot a man on Jan. 16, 2023, because he believed the man had drawn a gun during a foot chase.
SIRT said investigators determined after the man's death that the gun was actually an "air powered replica." The deceased man's name has not been released.
The pursuit of the 34-year-old man began with a car chase.
Prince Albert police officers were trying to "execute a traffic stop" during the evening of Jan. 16, 2023. The report did not say why they wanted to pull over the 2000 Honda Prelude.
According to the report, the driver sped away from police and eventually parked behind a business. He then tried to call a taxi.
Passengers in the vehicle reported that the man said he was wanted by police and could not get arrested.
Meanwhile, the police involved in the car chase called in for backup. One officer that was driving around saw two people and approached them because they were in an area where "all of the businesses were closed."
The driver provided his name and said they were waiting for a taxi.
The officer said he recognized the driver as being a person of interest in a recent homicide investigation and having outstanding warrants, so the officer informed the man he was under arrest. The 34-year-old man tried to run away, the report says.
SIRT said the officer called for backup, then chased the man into a parking lot that was enclosed by fencing on several sides.
The officer told SIRT that he reached for his taser after seeing the man reach into his pockets, but then saw the man pull out what looked like a pistol and pulled his police gun out in response.
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