‘I want to help you’: SIU clears Toronto officer that fatally shot man in crisis armed with knife

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has cleared a Toronto police officer of wrongdoing in the fatal shooting of a 40-year-old man in crisis armed with a knife.

The province’s police watchdog said around noon on May 10, an off-duty paramedic noticed a person in crisis with a knife at the rear of Shoppers World at 3003 Danforth Avenue in the city’s east end. The paramedic notified the police, and a uniformed officer arrived at the scene.

Following an interaction with the officer, a firearm was discharged, and the victim, a 40-year-old man, was struck twice. He was rushed to a local hospital and died of his injuries.

SIU Director Joseph Martino reviewed the evidence and body-cam footage the officer wore that day. It indicated that the victim approached the uniformed officer with the knife.

“Put the knife down,” the officer said, according to Martino’s report. “Drop the knife.”

The report states that the officer repeatedly told the armed man to drop the knife when the victim ran toward the officer.

“The complainant had his left arm bent above his shoulder. There appeared to be blood on his left wrist. The [officer] was retreating backwards,” Martino’s report states. “One shot was heard, and the complainant’s arms lowered towards his waist. A second shot was heard.”

Man had self-inflicted wounds before police interaction: SIU

Martino said the officer told the victim to drop the knife after being shot twice.

“Shots fired, need a supervisor here, shots fired, drop the knife, man, I want to help you,” the officer said. “Drop the knife. I want to help you, drop it, drop the knife, drop it, man, drop it.”

The report discloses that the victim’s arms had blood on them. The paramedic at the scene began to treat the victim for his gunshot wounds.

SIU Director Joseph Martino said a knife was recovered at the scene. Photo: SIU.

Further evidence indicated that the victim had stolen two bottles of wine from a nearby store before the incident.

“The complainant was by a kitchen trailer, operated by Reef Kitchens, by the southern wall of the plaza businesses. He appeared of unsound mind — he was agitated and speaking to himself,” Martino writes in the report.

“The complainant was also holding a knife and bleeding from lacerations to both arms.”

Martino said the victim had spent the last half-hour pacing and drinking wine. He had also self-inflicted cuts to his arms.

“As the [officer] approached, the complainant stepped out from behind the trailer and confronted the officer with a knife held in his right hand,” Martino wrote.

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“The [officer] drew his firearm and began directing the complainant to drop the knife. [He] did not do so and continued to walk in a southeasterly direction towards a retreating [officer], the knife held at shoulder level. This persisted for about eight seconds, after which the complainant quickened his pace forward and then started to jog toward the officer. As he neared to within six metres of the officer, the [police officer] fired twice in quick succession.”

As a result, the SIU’s director said there were no reasonable grounds to believe that the police officer committed a criminal offence concerning the man’s death.

“The officer had repeatedly directed the complainant to drop the knife, to no avail. Instead, the complainant continually advanced on the [officer] with the knife held at about shoulder height,” Martino wrote.

“Now faced with an individual seemingly bent on attack and quickly closing the distance, the [officer] had a decision to make.

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person.