Three Canadian police officers have been charged in the November 2020 shooting death of an 18-month-old child.

The charges were announced after a nearly two-year investigation by the Special Investigation Unit of the Ontario Provincial Police (SIU).

Jameson Shapiro was killed when police opened fire on his father’s truck after receiving a report of parental abduction.

The police union has stated that it “fully supports” the three officers.

The SIU announced on Wednesday evening that constables Nathan Vanderheyden, Kenneth Pengelly, and Grayson Cappus each face a single count of manslaughter and criminal negligence causing death in connection with Jameson’s shooting.

They are due to appear in court on October 6th.

On the morning of November 26, 2020, police received a call reporting that the boy’s 33-year-old father had abducted him from his home in Trent Lakes, Ontario, a town about 170 kilometers (105 miles) northeast of Toronto.

Officers from the Ontario Provincial Police spotted Jameson’s father driving a pickup truck in nearby Kawartha Lakes. A collision occurred during an attempt to stop the truck, and one police officer was seriously injured.

According to the SIU, there was a “interaction” with the father after which the three police officers opened fire.

The father was shot and died in the hospital. Jameson, who was in the pickup, was shot and died at the scene as well. In February 2021, the SIU stated that forensic evidence indicated that the boy was shot by police.

During the investigation, the SIU recovered four weapons from the scene: three police firearms and one handgun from the pickup.

The union representing the three officers called the incident “a tragic circumstance for all involved” in a statement.

“This case is now before the courts. Everyone is entitled to due process.”

In a statement, OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said it is “devastating when an innocent life is lost during an incident,” and that the force would not comment further while the case is before the courts.