The police officer who shot a teenager while attempting to stop a stolen car told a coroners inquest on Tuesday that he fired those shots because he thought his rookie partner was going to die.

Const. Todd Sweet said he pointed his gun at the driver, even though it was 16-year-old Kyle Tait, who was in the passenger seat, who died.

"I was focused on the driver," said Sweet. "I knew if he started coming towards me I'd have to stop him.

"Const. Blount could be seriously injured or killed. The driver accelerated. I discharged three rounds," he said.

All of that took place in 15 seconds, three years ago, according to the police radio transmission that was also released in the inquest.

Kyle Tait was one of a group of teens in a stolen SUV leading police in a car chase from Burnaby to New Westminster on August 23, 2005.

Giving chase was Sweet -- then a 15-year veteran of the force -- the rookie, Const. Gareth Blount, and other officers.

Once on Burns Street, the 18-year-old driver, Ian Campbell, rammed his car into the passenger side of Sweet's vehicle, trapping Blount in the car, according to Sweet.

Sweet told the inquest he got out, pointed his gun at driver Campbell, and told Campbell to show his hands.

But according to one of the teens in the car -- interviewed after the shooting -- Sweet gave no warning.

Sweet said he didn't realize there were other teens in the car until he pulled Campbell out of the SUV.

But one minute before shooting, Sweet was told there were four other officers in the car, said Const. Shawn Machesney.

Tait was pronounced dead at the scene, and Campbell was shot in the hand.

In 2007, Sweet was convicted of assault in an incident that happened a few months before the shooting, where another officer witnessed him kicking a handcuffed suspect in the head.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Lisa Rossington