Hamilton police officers cleared in last summer’s fatal shooting

The province’s police watchdog has cleared two Hamilton police officers who shot and killed a man last July.

The special investigations unit released its report concluding there are no reasonable grounds to believe the officers committed a crime.

SIU director Joseph Martino writes in his decision that the man killed, 42-year-old Jason Peterson opened fire first, discharging his shotgun towards an officer. The director says that action meant the two officers who opened fire had little choice other than to shoot.

READ MORE: SIU continues to probe Hamilton Police shooting 

Peterson was in the front passenger seat of a gold Buick with two others when plain clothes officers, who had been following him, blocked the vehicle in. The SIU says the vehicle was stolen and police were attempting to arrest Peterson in response to a 911 call from the mother of Peterson’s ex-girlfriend just a half-hour prior.

The SIU says when officers moved in Peterson took hold of the shotgun and aimed it towards the driver and an officer who was attempting to pull the driver from the car and shot. That’s when the two officers opened fire, one from in front and one from behind.

An autopsy concluded Peterson died from a gun shot wound to the back of his head.

The SIU says the officers had every reason to believe he would fire again, and therefore had a right to defend themselves and others in the area.