The province’s police watchdog has cleared a Chatham-Kent police officer of any wrongdoing after a 51-year-old man was shot with a foam bullet during the course of an arrest.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said during the evening of July 14, 2021, officers responded to a 911 hang-up at a residence in Chatham, and were confronted by a man carrying a crossbow who told them to leave.
The man refused to surrender to the officers and later exited his home with a machete. When he refused commands to stop proceeding forward, an officer shot the man with a non-lethal foam bullet. Other officers also shot him with their conducted energy weapons at the same time.
The man was subdued and handcuffed while on the ground. He was not seriously injured.
Following an investigation, the SIU said it has determined the officer who fired the foam bullet used “reasonably necessary force” and there are no grounds to lay charges.
The SIU is a civilian law enforcement agency that investigates incidents involving police officers which have resulted in death, serious injury, allegations of sexual assault, or the discharge of a firearm at a person.
