Inquest Day 4: “No other options,” officer says

The OPP officer who fired the fatal shot that killed 30-year-old Levi Schaffer said he had no other choice.  

"There were no other options," Const. Kris Wood's said after being asked at a coroner’s inquest about the level of force used on Levi Schaeffer. Const. Wood appeared as a witness during Day 4 of the inquest into Schaffer’s death, a proceeding that continues at the Government Building on Red River Road in Thunder Bay.

The constable cited officer safety as his main reason for firing the shot on June 24, 2009. Schaffer was shot through the heart and killed by police near Osnaburgh Lake after two OPP officers suspected him of stealing a boat.

The five-person jury on Thursday heard how the OPP constable said he feared for his life, as well as that of fellow officer Mike Pullbrook, when Schaeffer allegedly pulled a knife and threatened them.

"There's going to be a death, There's going to be a killing," Schaffer allegedly said.  
Wood testified that he did not have his duty belt on, which contains items like pepper spray or a baton. The officer insisted that using his gun still would have been the only choice. 

Both Wood and Pullbrook described Schaeffer as "irritated" from the start of their encounter.  Although he answered their initial questions, Schaeffer seemed to have a "fight-or-flight" demeanor, the inquest juror heard.  

The inquest jury also heard that Schaeffer became unresponsive to the officers' commands to stop and put the knife down. 

Wood shot the man twice in the chest after Schaffer allegedly made more death threats.
In earlier testimony, Pullbrook defended Wood's decision to shoot, saying he was also ready to pull the trigger.  

While the provincial Special Investigations Unit cleared the two officers of any wrongdoing, discrepancies I the officers’ notebooks prevented the SIU from determining what “probably happened,” said SIU director Ian Scott.

The inquest jury will make recommendations to the OPP to prevent similar incidents.

The inquest will resume next Thursday, with OPP officials and Schaeffer's mother set to testify.