SIU clears Toronto police officer in shooting that killed Const. Marc Pinizzotto
The officer who fired 14 rounds during a North York raid was justified in using force, investigators determined. Pinizzotto, 43, was killed by the armed suspect in June.
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The Special Investigations Unit has cleared a Toronto police officer of wrongdoing in the shooting that killed Const. Marc Pinizzotto during an Emergency Task Force raid in North York on June 11.
The SIU director, Joseph Martino, found the officer — who fired his rifle 14 times at the suspect — acted lawfully when defending against an armed gunman. Nicholas Bennett, 19, shot at officers as they entered an apartment near Black Creek Drive and Tretheway Drive. Pinizzotto, who had been on the force for 18 years and with the ETF for five years, was struck and died at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.
Bennett survived his wounds — gunshot injuries to his chest, abdomen, back, flank, right arm and both legs — and was taken to hospital. He was charged with first-degree murder.
Martino wrote that officers "believed their lives to be in danger and that they acted to protect themselves from grievous bodily harm and death." The director noted that "nothing short of a firearm had the stopping power required of the moment" and that retreat or withdrawal "were not viable options given the speed at which events unfolded."
The raid was part of an investigation into multiple shootings, including one at the U.S. Consulate in March. As officers forced their way into the apartment using a ram, Pinizzotto turned left into a hallway where Bennett fired three times at him from the first bedroom. Pinizzotto discharged four rounds before collapsing. The officer under investigation was behind Pinizzotto and fired the additional shots.
Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw described Pinizzotto as "a hero in life, not death." The officer was laid to rest in June following a service attended by hundreds of members of the service.
The facts
Who was the Toronto police officer killed during the North York raid?
Const. Marc Pinizzotto, 43, was killed on June 11 during an Emergency Task Force raid. He had served on the Toronto police force for 18 years and with the ETF for five years.
How many times did the officer under investigation fire his weapon?
The officer fired his rifle 14 times at the suspect during the raid near Black Creek Drive and Tretheway Drive in North York.
What was the suspect charged with?
Nicholas Bennett, 19, was charged with first-degree murder after shooting at officers during the raid.
Why did the SIU clear the officer of wrongdoing?
SIU director Joseph Martino found the officer acted lawfully in self-defense, determining that officers believed their lives were in danger and that only a firearm had sufficient stopping power given how rapidly events unfolded.
