An RCMP officer who fired at a car which had barreled through spike belts and roadblocks after an armed robbery in the Placentia area in May has been cleared of any wrongdoing by the civilian oversight agency.

Two of the three people who were in the vehicle complained to the Serious Incident Response Team about the officer’s actions.

Just before they came upon a roadblock on the Salmonier Line, one of the three jumped out of the vehicle. The officer told SIRT-NL that they shot three rounds at the radiator and grill area as they were concerned for public safety after the driver accelerated on approach to the final roadblock.

The officer in question told the investigating agency that he believed the driver was prepared to risk grievous bodily harm or death in order to escape.

Police had information that the weapon involved in the robbery was a knife.

All three were eventually arrested and there were no injuries.

SIRT-NL concluded that the evidence supports a reasonable belief that the continuing flight exposed police and members of the public to imminent or future death or grievous bodily harm and that previous, less forceful measures had failed to stop the vehicle.