The province’s police watchdog has cleared a Halifax officer after they fired their gun while responding to a call last summer.

The Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) says on the evening of July 9, police received reports of a man who had barricaded himself in his house. The man’s adult daughter, who was vulnerable and non-verbal, was also inside.

Police say they had grounds to arrest him for public mischief but were concerned for his mental health when he refused to leave the house, threatening officers. It is believed they also heard the man loading a firearm.

The man fired a flare gun at officers the next morning during a search and pointed what was believed to be a gun at one of the officers who then fired back.

The man was hit and treated for his injuries at the scene.