A summary of the SIU investigation released by the watchdog says police were called around midnight July 5, 2015, after receiving a 911 call stating Loku was inside a neighbour’s apartment, armed with a hammer and threatening to kill the tenant. Two officers arrived on scene, drew their weapons and ordered Loku to stop and drop the hammer.
According to the SIU news release, Loku did not follow the commands, walked toward officers and said: “What you gonna do? Come on, shoot me.” As he advanced toward the two officers, one of them shot Loku twice in the chest.
“Confronted with an armed and violent suspect who had neared to within three metres or less and was refusing to stop, I am satisfied that the subject officer fired his weapon believing it to be necessary to thwart an imminent hammer attack,” SIU director Tony Loparco said in a statement.
The SIU’s ruling is based on the police recordings of a 911 call, a partial video of the scene, the statements of several eyewitnesses to the shooting and more.