British Columbia

Police watchdog clears Victoria officer involved in fatal shooting

An officer with the Victoria Police Department has been cleared of any wrongdoing in the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old man.

Report finds Victoria police officer used reasonable force in fatal shooting

Four officers with the Victoria Police Department have been cleared of involvement in the fatal shooting of Rhett Mutch, 20, pictured above. (BC Coroner's Service)

An officer with the Victoria Police Department has been cleared of any wrongdoing in the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old man.

The Independent Investigations Office says it has wrapped up an investigation into a November 2014 shooting.

The IIO says in a report that the officer used reasonably necessary force and the case will not be forwarded to the Crown.

Rhett Mutch was identified by the B.C. Coroners Service four days after he was shot.

The IIO says several officers responded to a 911 call from Mutch's mother saying he'd broken into her house and was threatening to harm himself with a knife.

The agency says Mutch ran toward the officers with the weapon as they tried to arrest him and was shot once in the neck after a projectile from a bean bag gun could not slow him down. 17:12ET 08-06-16

Corrections

  • In an earlier version of this story Canadian Press reported four officers had been cleared by the IIO. In fact, only one officer was involved in the actual shooting and he has been cleared.
    Jun 08, 2016 4:22 PM PT