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Police officer involved in Nova Scotia shooting out of induced coma: SIRT

August 14, 2019  By The Canadian Press


HALIFAX — A Nova Scotia RCMP officer who suffered a head injury in an altercation that left a suspected car thief dead, has emerged from a medically induced coma.

Felix Cacchione, director of Nova Scotia’s Serious Incident Response Team, said Monday the unidentified officer was struck by the car while trying to stop the driver. The incident took place early Saturday on Willow Street in Truro, N.S.

The officer shot the suspect, who was alone in the vehicle and died at the scene, Cacchione said. He said he didn’t know how many times the suspect was hit.

Investigators have so far interviewed three witnesses to the police shooting, including another RCMP officer and two members of the public, Cacchione said. He added the province’s incident response team will examine video from local businesses in the vicinity of the incident.

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Cacchione said the officer was on the hood of the moving car when he fired his service pistol. “I don’t know either how he managed to take his pistol from his holster or if he had the pistol drawn beforehand,” Cacchione said.

The incident began when an officer spotted a car that had been reported stolen in Amherst, N.S., around 2:30 a.m. Saturday.

Cacchione said he will review witness statements, but added the officer who was involved in the incident isn’t obligated to provide a statement or to disclose notes or reports, under SIRT regulations.

Investigators have not yet spoken with the officer because of his health status. “We will talk to him at some point, but I can’t say when,” Cacchione said.

He said SIRT is waiting for the medical examiner’s report and any toxicology reports related to the incident.

News from © Canadian Press Enterprises Inc., 2019


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