MOUNT FOREST, Ont. - The province's Special Investigations Unit has cleared an Ontario Provincial Police officer who shot a man who was approaching him with a board after attacking another officer.

SIU director Ian Scott says the investigation determined Travis Hiebert fled when police had tried to arrest him last Aug. 27 in Mount Forest, in southwestern Ontario.

Hiebert was eventually located Aug. 31 at a home on Birmingham Street West.

Scott says Hiebert was pepper-sprayed during a physical altercation with two officers, but the spray had little effect.

Hiebert struck one officer several times in the back with a board and was shot in the torso by a second officer when Hiebert approached him with the board, sending Hiebert to hospital.

Scott says the SIU concluded the officer who fired did not commit a criminal offence, and could claim self-defence.