CAMBRIDGE — Const. Elizabeth Skelding has been praised by investigators for shooting a man as he tried to stab his ex-girlfriend to death.

Her "prompt actions likely saved the woman's life," said Tony Loparco, director of the province's Special Investigations Unit, an arm's length agency that investigates police shootings.

The agency concluded Tuesday that Skelding had no choice but to fire and that her actions were justified.

Skelding, 31, shot Wesley Laforme once while he was stabbing his ex-girlfriend in her neck, face, arm and hands, and after he also stabbed Skelding in the leg. He's now serving a 10-year sentence after pleading guilty to attempted murder and aggravated assault.

Laforme's defence lawyer, Mark Parrott, commended Skelding for saving the woman's life and preventing a murder.

Skelding has since returned to front line duty and Waterloo Regional Police are considering ways to honour her.

"Her actions are heroic," Waterloo Regional Police Chief Bryan Larkin said.

"Her ability to act promptly and immediately in my view saved the victim's life. This was a horrific attack. It was a significant domestic incident that put not only the victim but the officer at risk, and she did some incredible work. And so I'm very proud of her efforts."

It all happened last April on Morning Calm Drive in Cambridge. Skelding responded to a 911 call and arrived to find Laforme, 30, attacking the woman on her driveway.

Loparco said in a statement: "The subject officer encountered Mr. Laforme armed with a large knife. He immediately began attacking the woman with deadly force right in front of the police officer.

"The subject officer did not immediately shoot him, however. One would expect that, even at close range, such a shot could have placed the woman at significant risk. Instead, the officer tried to physically disarm Mr. Laforme. He fought her off and stabbed her in the leg.

"Having been seriously wounded, the subject officer had no other choice but to use lethal force to stop Mr. Laforme."

Loparco said: "In the final analysis, the subject officer was acting within her duty to protect and preserve life when she came to the woman's aid. This drew the officer into a life or death struggle with Mr. Laforme, and her prompt actions likely saved the woman's life."

Laforme went to prison in a wheelchair after being shot in the back. He's expected to walk again.

His ex-girlfriend has facial scars and limited use of her hands. She suffered nine stab wounds and a partially severed thumb.

Laforme planned to kill her and then slit his own throat after she broke up with him via text message, a court heard during his trial.

Skelding, an officer for nine years, was stitched up in hospital and released after suffering a five-centimetre cut to her calf. She declined an interview Tuesday.

Skelding refused to be interviewed by civilian investigators or turn over her notes, exercising her legal right. The provincial agency assigned eight investigators to probe the shooting, interviewing six other officers and three civilians, all of them deemed witnesses.

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