Man who stabbed cop dies before sentencing hearing

Officer subdued attacker with Taser while working security job at casino

An Ontario Superior Court sentencing hearing was abruptly halted Wednesday morning after the judge announced that the convicted man who was to appear had died the previous day. Following a trial earlier this year, Michael A. Knapp, 52, had been found guilty of a string of charges, including aggravated assault and having stabbed a police officer at Caesars Windsor in April 2016. “I’m very saddened to learn of Mr. Knapp’s passing,” Justice Renee Pomerance told the court. “It’s a most regrettable turn of events.”

The judge said she would not be reading out her decision, and that given the circumstances, it was inappropriate to discuss what Knapp’s sentence would have been. The Crown had been seeking a sentence of incarceration. Windsor Police Service spokesman Sgt. Steve Betteridge said his department was aware of Knapp’s death. He said officers had responded to an address on Tuesday and investigated before concluding there was “no foul play suspected.”

Neither the Crown nor defence attorneys would comment to media at the courthouse.

“I offer my condolences to Mr. Knapp’s family,” Pomerance told the court.

Knapp was charged with aggravated assault, assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest, uttering threats, two counts of possessing a dangerous weapon and triggering a false fire alarm following a latenight incident at the downtown casino on April 9, 2016. A uniformed police officer working on contract duty for Caesars Windsor that night in the common area was asked by casino security for help with a disorderly male who allegedly was pulling fire alarms.

When approached, the man threatened the officer, brandished a knife and stabbed the officer in the hand.

The injured officer was able to deploy his Taser at least twice to bring the man under control and execute an arrest.

Police described the officer’s injury as serious. He was taken to hospital, where he underwent surgery to his hand. Windsor police officers are sometimes privately contracted to provide additional security for businesses such as downtown nightclubs.

Following his trial, Knapp was found guilty on all the charges except the raising false fire alarm.

I’m very saddened to learn of Mr. Knapp’s passing. It’s a most regrettable turn of events. I offer my condolences to Mr. Knapp’s family.