Police watchdog clears Toronto police officers involved in fatal shooting of teen

Ontario’s police watchdog says it has found no reasonable grounds to believe two Toronto police officers committed a crime in the fatal shooting of a teenage boy during a traffic stop.

The Special Investigations Unit says a Toronto police officer stopped a car with six people inside on Sheppard Avenue the night of April 20 when there was a shootout involving a male occupant.

It says the male fired a shot at an officer and two officers fired back, and both the male and police shot multiple rounds.

The SIU says the male, who was later identified as a 16-year-old from Toronto, was struck by gunfire.

It says he was taken to hospital and later died from his injuries.

The SIU says the officer’s use of gunfire constituted reasonable force, and there’s no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in the case.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2025.