RNC Officer cleared in 2018 shooting death

The Serious Incident Response Team has found that there was no criminal conduct in a fatal shooting by an RNC officer in Corner Brook.

On November 27, 2018, an RNC officer shot and killed 27-year-old Jorden McKay. The officer who shot McKay was new to the force at the time.

Two officers responded to the call for service after he allegedly breached conditions not to contact his former girlfriend. When officers arrived McKay was not home but returned later that evening. Officers appeared at the residence once again to arrest McKay for breaching bail conditions.

He was allowed to return inside the residence in order to turn off the oven.

The officers said that McKay approached the officers with a knife in a threatening/aggressive manner.

It was then that one of the officers drew his issued firearm and, after issuing a command to drop the knife, fired one shot at McKay. The bullet struck him in the forearm before it travelled through his shoulder and entered his rib cage.

McKay was pronounced dead later at the hospital.

The Department of Justice and Public Safety contacted Ontario Provincial Police to investigate the incident. In addition to this, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team was engaged to provide an independent civilian review of the OPP’s investigation.

After collecting and reviewing all evidence in relation to this investigation, OPP investigators concluded that the officer was justified in using lethal force and therefore no reasonable and probable grounds exist for Criminal Code charges in relation to the death of McKay.