Lethbridge officer cleared in 2015 shooting of knife-wielding teen

Alberta's police watchdog has cleared a Lethbridgeofficer in the shooting of a knife-wieldingteenager more than a year ago.

In October 2015, Lethbridgepolice responded to a call at a local Safeway. According to ASIRT, asecurity guard told officersa youth had entered the store, sexually assaulted a woman and grabbed a knife from the meat department before fleeing.

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Police found the 17-year-old walking nearby and twice ordered the teen to drop the knife. ASIRT saidthe teen refused and continued to walk away from police.Two additional officers arrived on the scene.

The youth turned back toward thefirst officer and "moved on him in a threatening manner," said ASIRT in a release.

'Very real and continuing threat'

Feeling certain his fellow officer was in imminent danger, one of the officers raised his gun to fire, but didn't due to civilians within his eyeline, said ASIRT.

The officer then yelled for the first officer to shoot.

According to ASIRT, the first officer fire four times, striking the teen, who fell to the ground.

The teen was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

ASIRT Executive Director Susan D. Hughsonfound the officer's use of force was reasonable and justified in the circumstances.

The ASIRT report found at the time of the shooting, the teen presented a "very real and continuing threat to the life of the officer, the lives of fellow officers, and the public at large."

The teenremains before the court facing charges relating to the incident.