The Special Investigations Unit has determined that police officers were not at fault for a dramatic shootout inside a Circle K convenience store in Burlington last September, that’s when a 22 year old Scarborough man was killed by gunfire and two officers were sent to hospital with gunshot wounds.
Police have never released the name of the man who was killed that night, but the report from the SIU includes photos and details that really illustrate the chaos inside the gas station store at Appleby and Harvester at about five AM September 22, 2018.
OPP and Halton police rushed to the Esso gas bar after learning that’s where a taxi had recently dropped off the suspect in a hit and run on the QEW at Burloak. A gas station worker told police the man was hiding in the bathroom. He refused to come out for police, who heard him speaking on his cell phone. An officer then sprayed pepper spray under the bathroom door. The man still did not come out, so police used a pry bar and sledge hammer. When the door opened, an officer saw the man standing by a sink holding a gun. He shot at the officers several times, one officer was struck in the leg and another to his hand and leg. Police tried to retreat, but the gas station doors had locked them in, and the attendant was hiding behind the counter. The man then left the bathroom and ran towards the store drink coolers while officers shot at him. Photos show bullet holes piercing the coolers, and another photo shows the suspect’s gun on the ground near where he fell. It was empty; he had used up all 13 of his bullets. He had been hit with six police bullets, once fatally in the lungs and heart.
The SIU said it was clear none of the officers committed a criminal offence here. Halton Police Chief Stephen Tanner released a statement saying that two of his officer had been hurt in the incident, one of them critically. They are still recovering.
He added his disappointment that it took eight months for the SIU to complete this investigation, he says he hopes cases are closed more quickly in the future.
