Arcon found guilty of assaulting police officer in 2010

Ryan Arcon is seen outside Kitchener's courthouse in this file photo.

A jury has found Ryan Arcon guilty of assaulting a police officer in a Waterloo apartment.

The jurors returned their verdict Thursday afternoon, after about 13 hours of deliberations.

On March 31, 2010, police were called to the Erb Street West building in response to a 911 call from Arcon’s roommate.

The roommate said Arcon was high on drugs and was yelling at an empty closet while holding two steak knives.

The responding officer, Const. Randy Galantal, shot Arcon five times as Arcon approached him in the building’s corridors.

Galantal, who testified he believed Arcon intended to stab him, was cleared of any wrongdoing by the province’s special investigations unit.

Arcon was found guilty on four of five charges, including assault with a weapon and assault of a police officer.

“We think the jury obviously took their time and they gave each count very careful consideration,” said Crown attorney Karey Katzsch.

“It’s the opinion of the Crown and police that this is the proper and just verdict on each count.”

Defence lawyer Peter Boushy says he was glad to see the jury take their time to properly weight all the evidence.

“We had them thinking about the issues, obviously,” he told CTV.

Sentencing will begin Aug. 12.

Katzsch says she will be asking for Arcon to spend further time in custody, while Boushy says he doesn’t think further time incarceration is necessary.

“I think he’s suffered enough, quite frankly,” said Boushy.

“This is a man who was shot numerous times.”

Arcon is believed to be considering a civil lawsuit against Waterloo Regional Police.