News Release

SIU Investigates Death of Man in Thunder Bay

Case Number: 14-OCD-178   

Other News Releases Related to Case 14-OCD-178

SIU Concludes Death Investigation in Thunder Bay

Mississauga (3 August, 2014) --- Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is probing the circumstances surrounding the death of a 44-year-old man early this morning in Thunder Bay.

Preliminary information indicates the following:

·         At approximately 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 2, 2014, Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) officers arrested a 44-year-old-man in an intoxicated condition in violation of a court order.
·         The man was incarcerated at the police station.
·         Sometime before 3:00 a.m. this morning, it was noticed by police that the man in his cell was in some form of medical distress and an ambulance was called.
·         Emergency medical responders attended to the man however he was pronounced deceased.

The SIU has assigned three investigators and two forensic investigators to probe the circumstances of this incident. 

If you or someone you know is an affected person in need of support, please call the Affected Persons Program General Referral Line at 1-877-641-1897 or click here for more information: siu.on.ca/en/apc.php

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (police officers as well as special constables with the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers with the Legislative Protective Service) that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, the Director of the SIU must

  • consider whether the official has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
  • depending on the evidence, cause a criminal charge to be laid against the official where grounds exist for doing so, or close the file without any charges being laid
  • publicly report the results of its investigations