FILE PHOTO

(JOHN MCDONALD / iNFOnews.ca)

A Penticton RCMP officer has been cleared of any wrongdoing in the fatal shooting of a knife-wielding man near Penticton Regional Hospital last October.

The province’s Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of British Columbia released a detailed report on its official website Friday.

“On the afternoon of Oct. 22, 2024, the subject officer (who is not named in the report) responded to multiple 911 calls about the affected person (AP) acting erratically on the street and waving a knife,” the report stated.

“The subject officer (SO) located the AP walking along the sidewalk and pulled his police vehicle over the curb.

“When the SO exited his vehicle, the AP advanced toward the officer. A brief scuffle occurred, during which the AP took a knife from inside his coat and repeatedly made slashing and stabbing motions toward the SO, wounding the officer’s hand in the process.

“The SO attempted to retreat around his police vehicle but was pursued by the AP. At that point, the SO drew his service pistol and discharged it at the AP, who was fatally wounded.”

The IIO was promptly notified and launched an investigation.

According to the report, the investigation included statements from 23 civilian witnesses and six witness police officers. Evidence also included audio recordings of 911 calls and police radio transmissions, dash camera footage from a police vehicle, closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, B.C. Transit video, and traffic camera recordings from the City of Penticton.

Additional evidence collected included photographs from the scene, forensic firearm examination results, autopsy and toxicology reports.

“The IIO does not require an officer whose actions are under investigation to provide a statement,” the report noted. “In this case, the SO did not provide any evidence to IIO investigators.”

At approximately 3:13 p.m. on October 22, 2024, police received several 911 calls reporting a man walking along Government Street in Penticton while carrying a knife and yelling profanities.

One civilian witness told the IIO the AP appeared to be suffering from “some sort of hallucination” and that his knife was initially in a sheath. 

Another civilian also described the AP carrying the knife in a sheath.

The SO responded to the call, with two other officers arriving a few minutes later. A third officer in the vicinity also began searching for the AP.

At around 3:25 p.m., the SO, driving south on Government Street in a marked police vehicle, spotted the AP, who matched the description provided in the 911 calls.

“The AP was walking southbound on the east sidewalk. The SO activated his vehicle’s emergency lights and pulled to the east curb, slightly ahead of the AP,” the report stated. “The SO exited his vehicle, and an almost immediate interaction took place between him and the AP.”

Several civilian witnesses described a scuffle in which the AP moved quickly toward the SO and appeared to push him. They then saw the AP advance with a raised knife.

“The SO retreated around his vehicle with his hands raised defensively. Witnesses said the officer shouted commands such as ‘stop,’ ‘back off,’ and ‘get down’ as he drew his service pistol and pointed it at the AP,” the report continued.

The SO, still pursued by the AP, moved down the passenger side of his vehicle and around to the front. The vehicle was equipped with a WatchGuard dash camera system, which recorded the SO walking quickly backward across the front of the vehicle, with the AP advancing aggressively and the knife only inches from the officer.

“The video shows the SO discharging multiple rounds from his pistol into the AP’s upper body. Despite being struck visibly several times, the AP continues to pursue the officer out of the video frame, toward the sidewalk,” the report said.

Civilian witnesses reported hearing several additional gunshots before the AP suddenly collapsed.

“Within the next minute, other officers arrived on scene,” the report concluded.

—This article was originally published by the Penticton Herald

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