'I could not believe what happened,' cop who shot fellow officer tells court
A Niagara police officer who shot a fellow cop during an altercation nearly three years ago told his colleague's assault trial that he found their interaction so implausible he feared nobody would believe what happened.
Det.-Sgt. Shane Donovan testified Wednesday at the trial of Const. Nathan Parker, who has pleaded not guilty to assault with intent to resist arrest, assaulting a police officer and assault with a weapon.
Donovan told the court that Parker assaulted him during a collision investigation in November 2018, pushing him hard enough to cause bruising and pulling out his baton and firearm. Donovan said he then shot Parker several times, including once in the torso.
"I could not believe what had happened and I expected no one else would believe it," Donovan told the court.
Donovan said he asked a bystander if he had video, hoping there was evidence of what transpired.
Court heard that the bystander didn't have video, so Donovan asked him to stay and watch so he could be a witness.
"I wanted witnesses to what was happening ... because I had just shot a person, another police officer, so I want everyone to see what happened so if anything else went wrong, I've got evidence," he said.
Donovan said he asked the bystander -- a man who lived near the Pelham, Ont., site where the altercation and shooting occurred -- to take note of the position of Parker's baton and Donovan's lanyard.
"It shows the movement of what happened," he explained. "If an officer comes and picks it up, it changes the scene. If someone kicks it, it changes the evidence of what happened."
Donovan told the court he was concerned about the integrity of the scene, and didn't leave until more officers arrived for fear evidence might be moved, despite the other officer's protests.
"I think just being there was enough to provoke him," Donovan said. "...He was constantly yelling."
The Special Investigations Unit initially charged Donovan as well, but those charges were dropped when, his lawyer said, prosecutors found there was no reasonable prospect of conviction.
In cross-examination on Wednesday, Parker's lawyer suggested Donovan was biased against his colleague.
"The reason you did not give police Const. Parker your cell number personally is because you had formed the opinion ... the less you talked to him the better," Joseph Markson posited.
Donovan denied that, saying he thought Parker already had his number and that he would have spoken to his colleague if necessary, but that he had tried to avoid it.
"He was not approachable, and I didn't want to have any issues," Donovan said. "I left it at that."
The trial continues Thursday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 15, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.