No charges for New Westminster police in shooting

There are no grounds for charges against a New Westminster police officer who shot a suspect during a 2016 arrest, says the B.C. Prosecution Service.

While the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. had submitted a report recommending charges, B.C. prosecutors said the recommended charges would not meet the threshold for prosecution.

In a report released Thursday, the officer in question was described as having followed proper training and protocol in his attempted arrest of the suspect.

On Jan. 15, 2016, a security guard at a New Westminster Walmart called police after spotting an individual that had previously been arrested and banned from the store. While that individual was arrested by police without issue, an associate was spotted on surveillance camera taking two items.

When additional officers arrived, a suspect matching the description of the associate was seen in the parking lot carrying two boxed items and a cellphone, but no Walmart bag.

When an officer began speaking with the man, he became agitated, began angling his body away from the officer and turned to run. The officer then fired a Taser and the suspect fell to the ground.

When the man got up again, he pulled a handgun and pointed it at the police officer and civilian witnesses. The police officer fired two shots at the suspect before the suspect fled through the parking lot, ignoring requests to drop his weapon.

Several more shots were fired by the officer as the suspect ran to a grassy area behind the store, where he was finally apprehended.

“It is reasonable to infer that the suspect posed a continuing risk of grievous bodily harm or death to the officers and those in the area, including occupants of the nearby stores,” the report read, adding the officer “had a common law duty to protect those persons.”

The suspect suffered gunshot wounds to his legs and side, but has since recovered.

In October 2017, the suspect, identified as 32-year-old Surrey resident Nathan McVannell, was ordered to serve 46 months in prison after pleading guilty to pointing and possession of a prohibited firearm.