SIU clears Peel officer who killed Brampton courthouse shooter
Posted October 10, 2014 10:31 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The province’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) says a Peel officer acted in self defence when he killed a man who opened fire inside a Brampton courthouse, and there are no reasonable grounds to lay charges.
The SIU investigation found that 45-year-old Charnjit Singh Bassi entered the A. Grenville and William Davis Court on Hurontario Street on March 28 and tried to bypass the line for court and legal staff. Unlike the lineup for the public, the staff entrance doesn’t have a metal detector.
When confronted by the officer, the SIU said, “Mr. Bassi…pulled out his firearm. He pointed the gun at the subject officer and fired two rounds at point-blank range.”
One of the shots hit the officer in the torso.
Bassi then passed the security check point where he was confronted by a second officer.
“The officer quickly found himself face to face with Mr. Bassi, who pointed his gun in the officer’s direction. There was an exchange of gunfire as the officer and Mr. Bassi discharged a single round each.
“At about the same time, the subject officer, who had managed to get back to his feet and drawn his firearm, steadied himself and fired his weapon three times at Mr. Bassi.”
One of the subject officer’s shots proved fatal.
The SIU didn’t name the wounded officer in its release, but family members earlier identified him as Const. Mike Klarenbeek, 53.
He was released from hospital on April 4.
