Niagara officer who was shot during on-duty fight with detective now facing charges
Posted May 22, 2019 1:56 pm.
Last Updated May 22, 2019 5:13 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A Niagara regional police officer who was shot several times by a fellow officer during an on-duty confrontation last November is now facing several charges.
On Wednesday Ontario Provincial Police charged Constable Nathan Parker, 52, with assaulting a peace officer, assault with intent to resist arrest, and assault with a weapon.
Parker is expected to appear in a St. Catharines court on June 10, 2019.
The veteran officer was shot several times on November 29th, while investigating a crash that had occurred days earlier in the area of Effingham Street and Roland Road in Pelham, near Welland.
Detective Sgt. Shane Donovan (pictured below) was charged with one count each of attempted murder, aggravated assault, and assault with a weapon in the shooting.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said the accused discharged his firearm multiple times. According to media reports, Parker was hit in the shoulder and upper leg with a grazing shot taking off the end of his nose.
He survived the shooting and was discharged from hospital about two weeks later.
Parker has apparently faced multiple disciplinary hearings under the Police Services Act in the past. In 2015 he pleaded guilty to discreditable conduct and unnecessary use of force against a prisoner and was docked pay.
Despite the serious charges Donovan is facing, he was released from custody in March on a promise to appear in court.
Niagara Regional Police Service Chief Bryan MacCulloch says this incident has had a profound impact on the service and it’s members.
“We are all still coming to terms with understanding what transpired that day,” MacCulloch said a news conference Wednesday afternoon. “This is not over, not for our members, not for the community and not for the officers or their families.”
MacCulloch would not speak about the specific details of the case as it was still before the courts. However, he said the decision to bring the OPP in to investigate alongside the SIU was to ensure there was an “unbiased and impartial” examination of the circumstances.
