NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO — An officer with the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service has been cleared of any wrongdoing after an investigation by the Special Investigations Unit.
SIU was informed on Feb. 3 of an incident that occurred on Dec. 28, 2024, of police responding to a weapons call.
During the incident, NAPS officers attended a call for reports of a person brandishing a knife. During the incident, the suspect was told to drop the knife and refused, according to police.
It was in that moment that both officers on the scene deployed their tasers twice. The suspect was then handcuffed and taken into custody.
After being transported to the Kenora Correctional Facility, the SIU report stated, the suspect was diagnosed with a fractured right clavicle.
According to the report, the SIU determined that the officers acted appropriately to the situation to mitigate risk to the public, saying "NAPS officers used lawful force in arresting the complainant."
"The complainant had been brandishing a knife and steadfastly refusing to drop it. He was a clear danger to public safety and it was imperative that he be taken into custody as soon as possible. A direct, hands-on physical engagement was not a realistic option as that risked serious injury and even death given the presence of the knife."
The SIU report does not specify which First Nation the incident occurred in.
