SIU clears Ottawa police officers who shot man wielding hatchet

Ontario's police watchdog is investigating after a man was shot and injured by police after he allegedly injured multiple people with a weapon in Ottawa's east end Friday night. (Dylan Dyson/ CTV News Ottawa)

Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has cleared the Ottawa Police Service of wrongdoing after shooting a man who is accused of attacking several people with a hatchet in Orléans last fall.

Officers responded to a call about a man with a weapon who was assaulting people with a hatchet and damaging vehicles outside a Wendy’s restaurant on St. Joseph Boulevard and Place d’Orléans Drive on Nov. 15, 2024.

Four people were injured and taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries in the incident.

After the incident, police charged Tyler Low of Ottawa with 52 offences, including four counts of attempted murder, five counts of aggravated assault, 12 counts of assault with a weapon and assault of a police officer.

The SIU says the man started to run towards an officer and did not heed repeated calls to drop his weapon. The officer then shot the man with his firearm.

“The man, who was now on the ground, began to crawl towards the officer, with hatchet in hand. When he refused to drop the hatchet, two other officers discharged their conducted energy weapons at the man,” wrote SIU director Joseph Martino.

The report from the SIU says officers used reasonable use of force as he was a “clear and present danger” to the officer’s lives and was necessary to defend themselves.

“The circumstances cried out for the immediate stopping power that only a firearm could provide,” the SIU said.

The man was arrested and taken to hospital and treated for “one or more” gunshot wounds. The suspect refused to conduct an interview with the SIU or authorize the release of his medical records.

The SIU investigates the conduct of police officers that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault or discharge of a firearm at a person.