Durham Officer Shot by Colleague in Stable Condition Following Oshawa Incident

Durham police say the officer who was shot by their colleague while responding to a mental health call in Oshawa, Ont., on Sunday is in stable condition in the hospital. Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) invoked its mandate after the Durham officer and a man were both shot in the area of Simcoe Street South and Wentworth Street East at around 11 a.m. Speaking at an unrelated news conference on Monday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said his thoughts and prayers go out to the officer, and called them a “hero.” “We pray for his family, and that’s the job that these police officers do,” Ford said. “They get in their uniforms, they kiss their spouses goodbye, and they go in to keep our community safer. He’s an absolute hero... you go to a knife call, and all of a sudden, you get shot. So, we always will be there to support our police in any way we can.” On Sunday, the SIU said officers encountered a 27-year-old man armed with a knife shortly after they arrived at the mental health call. “There was an interaction, and one officer discharged their firearm multiple times. The man was struck as was a police officer,” a news release said. The SIU said it has assigned five investigators and two forensic investigators to the case. Durham’s Regional Chair also reacted to the news of the shooting on Monday. “Every day, members of the Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) put themselves in harm’s way to keep our communities safe,” John Henry said in a statement. “We are grateful to hear that the officer is in stable condition and extend our full support to this individual, their loved ones and fellow officers during this time.” “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this incident, and we wish the injured officer a full and speedy recovery.”