SIU clears cop in Toronto shooting
By Rob LambertiTORONTO - A Toronto cop was justified in shooting a 52-year-old woman threatening him with a knife last month, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said Thursday.
Sylvia Klibingaitis died after she confronted one of two officers who arrived at her Yonge St.-Cummer Ave. area home around 9:30 a.m. Oct. 7 after she made a 911 call saying she was armed with a knife and was going to commit a crime.
SIU director Ian Scott said in a prepared statement that as an officer approached the Wedgewood Dr. home, a grandmother who struggled with mental illness most of her adult life, rushed out onto the porch wielding a large knife.
“She went directly toward the subject officer holding the knife in a threatening manner,” he stated.
The officer pulled out his service pistol and pointed it at Klibingaitis while stepping backward toward the street.
Scott stated the officer repeatedly yelled to put the knife down, but Klibingaitis responded, “No.”
“The in-car video camera recordings showed her less than two metres away from the subject officer with the knife positioned above her shoulder and continuing to close in on him when the subject officer discharged his firearm three times in rapid succession causing Ms. Klibingaitis to fall on the roadway,” Scott stated.
The officers then tried to revive her until Toronto EMS arrived on the scene.
An autopsy showed Klibingaitis died of a gunshot wound to the chest.
“In my view, the subject officer was justified in using lethal force in these circumstances pursuant to the self-defence provisions of the Criminal Code,” Scott stated.
“Here, the subject officer was attacked by Ms. Klibingaitis who was armed with a knife and would not comply with his commands to drop it,” he added. “Further, he made reasonable efforts in attempting to escape from her assault.
“Finally, it is unreasonable to expect anyone in these dynamic circumstances to disarm an assailant by either aiming for a limb or wrestling the weapon from her,” Scott stated.
“While the death of Ms. Klibingaitis is a tragic event, in my view, the subject officer was justified in discharging his firearm because he had a reasonable apprehension of death or serious bodily harm with no escape,” the SIU boss said.
Sylvia Klibingaitis died after she confronted one of two officers who arrived at her Yonge St.-Cummer Ave. area home around 9:30 a.m. Oct. 7 after she made a 911 call saying she was armed with a knife and was going to commit a crime.
SIU director Ian Scott said in a prepared statement that as an officer approached the Wedgewood Dr. home, a grandmother who struggled with mental illness most of her adult life, rushed out onto the porch wielding a large knife.
“She went directly toward the subject officer holding the knife in a threatening manner,” he stated.
The officer pulled out his service pistol and pointed it at Klibingaitis while stepping backward toward the street.
Scott stated the officer repeatedly yelled to put the knife down, but Klibingaitis responded, “No.”
“The in-car video camera recordings showed her less than two metres away from the subject officer with the knife positioned above her shoulder and continuing to close in on him when the subject officer discharged his firearm three times in rapid succession causing Ms. Klibingaitis to fall on the roadway,” Scott stated.
The officers then tried to revive her until Toronto EMS arrived on the scene.
An autopsy showed Klibingaitis died of a gunshot wound to the chest.
“In my view, the subject officer was justified in using lethal force in these circumstances pursuant to the self-defence provisions of the Criminal Code,” Scott stated.
“Here, the subject officer was attacked by Ms. Klibingaitis who was armed with a knife and would not comply with his commands to drop it,” he added. “Further, he made reasonable efforts in attempting to escape from her assault.
“Finally, it is unreasonable to expect anyone in these dynamic circumstances to disarm an assailant by either aiming for a limb or wrestling the weapon from her,” Scott stated.
“While the death of Ms. Klibingaitis is a tragic event, in my view, the subject officer was justified in discharging his firearm because he had a reasonable apprehension of death or serious bodily harm with no escape,” the SIU boss said.
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