An RCMP officer will not face charges after fatally shooting a man in Elsipogtog First Nation last fall.
The Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) released the findings of its months-long investigation on Thursday.
Officers responded to a report of a suicidal man armed with weapons on the evening of Sept. 8, 2024.
They arrived on the scene to find an intoxicated man in a bedroom holding “multiple” throwing axes, said the report.
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Investigators said one of the officers fired his taser after the man threw one of the axes toward them and others in the home.
The taser was ineffective, and the other officer fired his gun after the man tried to throw a second axe.
Paramedics were called and the man, later identified as 35-year-old Stephen Dedam, was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Erin Nauss, director of SiRT, said she determined the officer acted to deter a “reasonably apprehended threat.”
“I am further convinced the discharge of a firearm by the [officer] constituted reasonable force in the circumstances,” Nauss wrote in her report.
The full report is available here.
Assistant Commissioner Matco Sirotic, commanding officer of the New Brunswick RCMP, said they respect the decision made by SiRT.
In a statement released Thursday, Sirotic said an officer’s decision to use any level of force includes “many factors” to make a proper risk assessment.
“RCMP officers undergo rigorous training and recertifications to ensure they have the proper skills and tools needed to respond properly in extremely difficult circumstances,” said Sirotic.
“When police officers respond to high risk calls which require them to make decisions and take actions, they carry the weight of these outcomes for the rest of their lives.”
Sirotic acknowledged there has been a lot of attention over the past years regarding interactions between police and marginalized groups.
“These serve as important reminders to be introspective about our own origins, culture and current operations, as well as to be part of a greater shift towards a more inclusive, accepting, and compassionate society for all,” he added.
