Two local police officers are being recognized for their actions in 2020 during an incident that saw a sergeant shot at
Timmins Police Sgt. Robin Carter and Const. Mark Lauzon are among the 21 police officers to receive the 2022 Ontario Medal for Police Bravery. The award is the province's highest honour that's given to police officers who have demonstrated "great courage in risking their lives to save the lives of others."
Carter and Lauzon's award is from an Oct. 31, 2020, incident when they responded to a break-in in progress at a private residence where three suspects had fled the scene in a car.
During a traffic stop near the intersection of Rae and Bannerman, the officers caught up with the suspects — a female driver and two male passengers.
"The man in the front seat managed to push Sgt. Carter out of the way and flee on foot. Const. Lauzon was struggling to apprehend a much larger male by pinning him to the side of the vehicle. Sgt. Carter ordered a second police vehicle to tail the first suspect then rushed to help Const. Lauzon," reads the breakdown of why the officers were honoured.
"As the struggle ensued, the man pulled out a handgun. Sgt. Carter yelled ‘gun’ three times and held the man’s wrist upwards. The man broke free and fired the gun twice, both times barely missing the sergeant’s head. Const. Lauzon discharged his firearm, hitting the suspect in the back who then dropped his gun. After taking the offender into custody, Const. Carter used first aid training to pack the wound, which saved his life. Further violence was avoided because of the brave actions of Sgt. Robin Carter and Const. Mark Lauzon."
The incident was reviewed by the Ontario Special Investigations Unit (SIU), which found no reasonable grounds to believe an offence was committed by the officer.
The SIU is an arms-length agency that investigates police-involved incidents where there has been a death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assaults.
Along with the police awards, the province also recognized 13 people with the Ontario Medal for Firefighter Bravery this week.
“In accepting these medals, I hope that these brave men and women will re-commit themselves to serving the public with integrity, knowing that their accomplishments will help motivate a new generation of Ontarians to join their ranks – looking to follow their example," said Ontario Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell in a news release.
Ontario has the best police officers and firefighters in the country, said Solicitor General Michael Kerzner.
“When confronted with the perils these men and women faced, most of us would have hesitated – they didn’t. They ran toward danger. And for that we honour them with the province’s highest award for bravery – their work is an inspiration to us all. On behalf of a grateful province, we thank them for their dedication to their communities and their extraordinary courage," he said.
