The Surrey Mountie responsible for the shooting death of 28-year-old Adam Purdie this spring has been cleared of all wrongdoing.
Purdie, who was known to police and had a history of firearms convictions, was killed on March 2 after fleeing a roadside stop when an RCMP officer noticed a rifle in his car.
Saanich police were called in to investigate, and department spokesman Sgt. Dean Jantzen told reporters Wednesday that Purdie had pointed his loaded gun at an unnamed Mountie before the officer opted to open fire.
"The officer involved in the shooting was left with no alternative other than the use of deadly force in an attempt to save his own life," Jantzen said.
During a brief chase, Jantzen said that Purdie's Chrysler 300 hit two civilian cars, and the officer following him decided to crash into the erratic vehicle with his cruiser to hem it in. When the Mountie saw the rifle pointed at him, he tried to drive away, but his cruiser would not move.
"He felt that his life was in immediate peril, withdrew his firearm, and began to shoot at Mr. Purdie," Jantzen said.
The officer told investigators that he shot numerous times, but Purdie continued to point his gun. In all, the Mountie fired 30 rounds in the direction of the distraught man.
Jantzen said Purdie was dealing with a recent breakup, and he was driving around the neighbourhood of his ex's new boyfriend on the night of the shooting.
Toxicology reports revealed cocaine, morphine and codeine in Purdie's blood, and Jantzen said an autopsy showed evidence of a self-inflicted wound.
Police say Purdie had battled a drug addiction in the past and there were recent concerns about his behaviour attributed to a relapse.
Purdie was convicted of firearm possession and assaulting a police officer in 2004 after breaking into the home of a man dating his ex-girfriend armed with a gun. He was given a lifetime ban on firearm possession.
The Surrey resident had been working at Coquitlam Chrysler.
The officer involved is a seven-year veteran of the RCMP and is now working in another province.
