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SIU Clears Toronto Police Officer in Rodger Kotanko Shooting in Simcoe

Thursday, 3 March 2022 15:07

The Special Investigations Unit say Kotanko pointed a gun at officers before they opened fire, shooting him four times.

The Special Investigations unit has cleared a Toronto Police officer after the death of 70 year old Rodger Kotanko in Simcoe last November. 

Toronto Police executed a search warrant at Kotanko's home on Port Ryerse Road on November 3, as part of a firearms-trafficking investigation. SIU Director Joseph Martino says the facts of the case are that two officers went into his workshop, where the door was open and identified themselves as police. Inside the workshop was Kotanko and a customer and they were told to raise their hands. The customer complied but Kotanko did not, despite multiple commands according to the SIU. Kotanko then reached with his right hand towards the workbench and grabbed a gun, pointing it at the officers. They told him to drop it and he did not. The officer then shot Kotanko four times. 

Officers rendered care to Kotanko until paramedics arrived.  He was transported to hospital where he died from multiple gunshot wounds.

Director Martino concluded that the officer fired his weapon to protect himself, and possibly the other officer, from a reasonably apprehended assault. For reasons unknown,

Martino says that Kotanko ignored the officers’ direction to raise his hands, picked up a firearm, refused to drop it and pointed the gun at the officers. 

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