Criminal charges have been dropped against a Niagara police officer accused of shooting another officer in rural Pelham, Ont., last year.

In an Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines on Friday, Crown attorney Ian Bulmer said there was no reasonable prospect of conviction in the case against Niagara Regional Police Det. Sgt. Shane Donovan.

He asked the judge to withdraw charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault and assault with a weapon.

On Nov. 29, 2018, Donovan, 57, and NRP Const. Nathan Parker were investigating a motor vehicle collision on Effingham Street and Roland Road in Pelham.

There was an altercation between the two officers and Parker, 52, was shot at least five times, according to police sources.

He was injured in the shoulder and upper leg and one bullet took off the end of his nose. His bulletproof vest stopped or deflected other bullets.

Donovan, a 20-year veteran of the police force who headed up the collision reconstruction unit at the time of the shooting, was charged in March following an investigation by the province’s Special Investigations Unit.

In a separate but parallel investigation, Ontario Provincial Police charged Parker in May with assaulting a police officer, assault with intent to resist arrest and assault with a weapon in connection with the same incident.

That case remains before the courts.

Friday, Bulmer acknowledged the incident attracted “considerable public attention,” but declined to comment further in order to “protect the integrity of those proceedings,” referring to the Parker case.

Toronto lawyer Joseph Markson, who is representing Parker, said in an emailed statment that he “cannot fathom” the decision to withdraw charges against Donovan.

“No theory of the case justifies (Det. Sgt.) Donovan’s discharging of his firearm multiple times into my client’s body. My client who is still recovering from nine bullet wounds is shocked and shaken.”

Donovan’s lawyer Joanne Mulcahy thanked the Crown and the Ministry of the Attorney General for “making the right decision in this matter.”

“(Donovan) believed his actions were fully necessary, fully justified in defence of his life,” she said.

She also declined to comment further since Donovan is anticipated to be a witness in the outstanding matter involving Parker.

She did say her client co-operated fully with the both the OPP and the SIU.

Parker, a 28-year veteran of the Niagara service, has faced internal Police Services Act discipline multiple times during his career, which included findings of discreditable conduct and unnecessary use of force.

In accordance with the Police Services Act, Donovan remains suspended with pay and is not currently in the workplace, said NRP Chief Bryan MacCulloch.

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Parker is also suspended with pay.

“At this time, we must respect the judicial process and allow this matter to continue to unfold before the courts,” MacCulloch said Friday.

He did say the “isolated” incident continues to have “a profound impact on our community.”