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B.C. Mountie gets two years probation for shooting man at traffic stop

A Vancouver Island Mountie found guilty of aggravated assault after shooting a man during a traffic stop has been sentenced to two years probation.

DUNCAN, B.C. — A Vancouver Island Mountie found guilty of aggravated assault after shooting a man during a traffic stop has been sentenced to two years probation.

Nanaimo RCMP Const. David Pompeo will also have to serve 240 hours of community service within the next 18 months.

In a ruling Thursday, B.C. provincial court Judge Josiah Wood said the officer appeared to be a responsible member of the RCMP but he showed poor judgment when he shot William Gillespie in September 2009.

While Wood said the matter was of serious concern both to the public and the court, there were circumstances that separated the officer’s case from a general aggravated assault case.

Wood also noted that a more severe sentence, such as jail time or a firearms prohibition, would have caused Pompeo to lose his job.