Suspected Fenwick cop shooter unfit for trial
A Port Colborne man charged with attempted murder after two Niagara police officers were shot in Fenwick more than two years ago has been deemed unfit to stand trial.
In Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines on Tuesday, Dr. Gary Chaimowitz testified Corey Richardson has limited cognitive capacity after being shot in the head during the incident with police.
“This man suffered a significant amount of destruction to his brain that is not repairable,” the forensic psychiatrist told Judge Tory Colvin. “I don’t expect any improvement in his ability to understand court procedures.”
Richardson, 31, was charged with a number of offences, including two counts of attempted murder, following an incident Oct. 10, 2015. Niagara Regional Police responded to a Canboro Road apartment complex that day after receiving reports of a despondent male.
Officers arrived at Canboro Gardens Apartments and encountered a man in the hallway of the multi-unit building. He quickly barricaded himself inside his apartment.
Const. Neal Ridley, then an eight-year member of the police force, spoke to the man through the door. After several minutes of conversation, Ridley holstered his firearm and raised his hands in front of door’s peep hole to assure the occupant he meant no harm. The man then agreed to leave the apartment.
When the man stepped out, he had his hands up and appeared to be surrendering. As he took several steps in the direction of the
officers, he pulled a handgun from his waistband and started shooting, firing nine shots.
Ridley was shot in the shoulder and the bullet exited through his neck.
Jake Braun, then a five-year member, attempted to fire at the man, but his rifle jammed. Two other officers, constables Daniel Bassi and Allan Rivet, returned fire and the man was shot several times, including one shot to his head. Court heard the defendant now lives with his mother and is essentially bed-ridden.
“It is clear from the evidence that Mr. Richardson doesn’t meet and is not likely to ever meet the criteria to be fit to stand trial,” the judge said.
A person can be declared unfit to stand trial if they are unable to understand the nature of the court proceedings and possible consequences, or if they are unable to communicate with their counsel.
The case will now go before a provincial review board which is a tribunal comprised of a judge and mental health workers, among others.
At the time of the shooting, Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit invoked its mandate to conduct an investigation. The agency investigates incidents involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.
The SIU concluded its investigation on July 18, 2016, and cleared the police officers of any wrongdoing.