News Release

FREDERICTON (GNB) – Nova Scotia’s independent Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) has concluded there are no grounds for criminal charges related to an incident on Dec. 31, 2021, on the Kingston Peninsula, where a man died after being shot by RCMP officers.

The investigation was undertaken at the request of the Department of Justice and Public Safety through a memorandum of understanding.

The investigation found that the incident began when a woman went to the RCMP Hampton detachment to report that she had been assaulted by her former partner.

The summary report from SiRT states both subject officers had grounds to believe that the woman had been assaulted and that the person had threatened to burn down their home.

When officers encountered the person, he was armed with a knife.

The report’s conclusion states the man refused to drop the knife, and advanced towards them. A taser was deployed and the man fell to the ground, rolled around and then stood up again, the knife still in his hand. Two more attempts to use the taser were unsuccessful.

A shot was fired, striking the man in the shoulder. The man momentarily moved backwards then lunged at the officer, who was struck in the face with the knife.

With the first officer on the ground, the man advanced towards the second officer. The second officer then fired, striking the man in the abdomen.

According to the report, the subject officers had reasonable grounds to believe the force used was necessary to protect themselves.

The officers called for first aid and the person was transported to the hospital but died before arrival.

The report into this incident is available online.