THUNDER BAY — The province's Special Investigations Unit has found no grounds to lay criminal charges against Thunder bay police officers for using a less-lethal service weapon to arrest a murder suspect earlier this year.
The Special Investigations Unit, the province's civilian police oversight agency, on Friday announced it had concluded its probe of the incident.
On Aug. 11, Thunder bay Police Service officers were called to a domestic disturbance in progress at a local residence. The caller notified police that a man inside was of interest to police, and was wanted for a recent homicide.
Police secured the area and a multi-hour standoff ensued.
The Special Investigations Unit found the man told officers that he had a firearm and that they should shoot him.
Police officers discharged multiple rounds of anti-riot weapon ENfields (ARWENs), which struck the suspect. He went back into the home and was later arrested after officers entered and a conducted energy weapon to subdue him.
The suspect, Justin Randy Dave Coaster, was taken into custody. He was taken to hospital, where he was medically cleared, and brought to the police station.
Coaster was charged with second-degree murder in the death of 37-year-old Charlie Joseph Finlayson.
