An Ottawa police officer has been cleared of any criminal offenses in the June 22 shooting of a teenager in a Westboro apartment tower, but the director of the Special Investigations Unit expressed concern that witness officers had spoken to a police association lawyer before SIU investigators arrived on scene.
An SIU investigation determined that 19-year-old Ryan Charles was carrying a replica handgun and a knife when an Ottawa police officer fired two shots at him from less than two metres away.
However, SIU director Ian Scott said investigation was hampered because the notes from witness officers were questionable.
“Notes are the basis of all subsequent interviews and court testimony,” said Scott. “Here, we have an officer who wrote up his notes after they were approved by a lawyer.”
Scott is asking the Chief Vern White to review this practice.
