SIU praises police for handling of suicidal man at Chapters

The province’s Special Investigations Unit has cleared Ottawa police officers of any wrongdoing after an incident in which a suicidal teen stabbed himself at a Chapters store.

In a statement released Friday, SIU acting director Joseph Martino went so far as to commend the first officer who approached the 18-year-old, for showing “impressive composure and restraint” when dealing with the young man, who was armed with a knife.

The SIU said that, on the morning of Jan. 12, the young man uploaded a video to Facebook in which he stated he had stolen a pickup truck, was suicidal and homicidal, that he was armed with knives and that he would intentionally cause a fatal motor vehicle collision if the police attempted to stop him.

Ottawa police were notified of the video and located the man inside the Chapters book store at 2735 Iris St. At about 12:30 p.m., the first officer entered the store and confronted the man.

The officer attempted to speak to the man, who pulled out a knife and ran to the hallway where the washrooms are located, the SIU said.

The officer approached and was about 4½ metres away when he saw the man waving a knife with a threeto four-inch blade. The officer drew his gun and pointed it at the man, ordering him to drop the knife, the SIU said. The man refused.

The officer then began a conversation with the man and continued to speak to him. When tactical officers arrived, the man yelled at the police and retreated into the washroom.

The man briefly exited the washroom and saw the tactical officers — including the officer who would become was the subject of the SIU investigation — with Tasers and firearms drawn.

The man screamed at the officers and told them he was going to stab himself before going back inside the washroom.

The SIU said the officers decided to enter the washroom to secure the man, and they radioed a request for non-lethal use-of-force equipment, including a riot shield and a device that fires rubber bullets.

Moments later, the man stepped out of the washroom and immediately dropped his knife.

The subject officer directed the man to get onto the ground and crawl toward the officers. At that time, officers noticed there was blood coming from underneath the man’s shirt. It was later determined the man had stabbed himself multiple times, including wounds that punctured both his lungs.

The SIU said the officers administered emergency first aid until paramedics arrived and transported the man to hospital, who underwent surgery and has since recovered.

“There is absolutely no basis to impugn the actions of the subject officer, or, for that matter, the actions of any of the police officers who interacted with the man,” SIU acting director Martino wrote.

“The subject officer took control of a dynamic and potentially dangerous situation, and handled it in a commendable fashion,” wrote Martino. “He began by trying to calm down the man, and when it appeared that the man might resort to self-harm, he called for non-lethal use-of-force equipment. Neither the subject officer, nor any of the OPS officers present, did anything to exacerbate the situation or push the man towards self-harm.”

Martino said the officer did nothing to contribute to the man’s injuries and no charges will be laid.

The SIU said the subject officer was interviewed by the SIU and provided a copy of his duty notes.

Investigators also interviewed the complainant, three witness officers and six civilian witnesses.

Zachary Wittke, now 19, was sentenced to two years in jail in April; he pleaded guilty to several charges.