The police watchdog in British Columbia has determined that an officer acted within his duty when he fatally shot a man armed with a knife who had attacked employees at a Vancouver convenience store. According to a report from the Independent Investigations Office, the incident unfolded when another officer attempted to subdue the assailant with a stun gun after he had cornered two staff members at a 7-Eleven store on Robson and Hamilton streets.
When the stun gun proved ineffective, the second officer resorted to firing multiple shots at the man, who continued to threaten the employees with the knife. The violent encounter left one staff member injured by a bullet fragment in the face, necessitating surgery, while the other sustained knife wounds to the head, back, and thumb.
The report detailed the events that led up to the confrontation, revealing that the man had harassed the store staff on multiple occasions before escalating his behavior by stealing liquor and knives from a nearby restaurant. Upon returning to the store, he proceeded to terrorize the employees, prompting their desperate call for police intervention.
Captured on video by a bystander, the shooting was deemed necessary by the watchdog as the man posed a clear and imminent threat to the lives of the employees. The report emphasized that the officer had a responsibility to use lethal force in order to protect the individuals from harm, especially after the stun gun failed to incapacitate the assailant.