Police watchdog clears Vancouver officers in fatal shooting in Downtown Eastside

BC's police watchdog has cleared Vancouver officers involve in a fatal shooting in the city's Downtown Eastside earlier this year.

A report from the Independent Investigations Office says the officers' use of force in the January 5th shooting was, quote, ``justified, necessary and proportionate'' because ``they had no choice.''

It says the officers feared the man, who was not named by the oversight agency, would either stab them or bystanders with a sword he was carrying.

The watchdog's report says the officers were not carrying a stun gun and fired a total of five shots from their firearms from about three metres away.

It says the man was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.