The province’s Special Investigations Unit has laid a criminal charge against a Barrie police officer in connection with the September 2018 shooting of a 21-year-old man.

In the early morning hours of Sept. 17, 2018, police located four persons of interest in a robbery investigation at a gas station in the St. Vincent and Grove streets area of Barrie and attempted to stop them.

The two men and two women fled the scene in a vehicle.

As the vehicle passed one of the officers, the SIU said a shot was fired. The vehicle then crashed into a tree a short time later and all four occupants fled the area on foot. Three of the occupants were located and arrested following a short chase.

The fourth occupant of the vehicle, a 21-year-old man, was later arrested by Toronto police. The SIU said it was then discovered that the man had sustained a gunshot wound.

As a result of an investigation conducted by the SIU, director Tony Loparco said he has “reasonable grounds” to lay a criminal charge against Michael Chytuk.

Chytuk, who has served 28 years with the Barrie Police Service, is now facing one count of criminal negligence causing bodily harm.

He has been suspended from duty with pay as per the Police Services Act of Ontario and is scheduled to appear in a Barrie courtroom on Feb. 4.

“The Barrie Police Service’s Professional Standards Unit will be conducting a review of the circumstances of this incident following the completion of the court proceedings,” a news release issued by Barrie police on Tuesday said.

“As the SIU is an independent investigative oversight body, the Barrie Police Service is not in a position to provide any of the underlying details that led to the charge.”

The SIU is called in to investigate cases involving police officers where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.