News Release

Update: SIU Releases Name of Man in Toronto Firearm Death

Case Number: 10-TFD-061   

Mississauga (19 April, 2010) --- Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is continuing to probe the circumstances surrounding the death of 50-year-old Wieslaw Duda of Mississauga. Mr. Duda was fatally shot this morning during an interaction with officers from the Toronto Police Service (TPS).

The TPS reported the following information to the SIU:
* At approximately 1:00 a.m. on Monday, April 19, officers began following a vehicle in the area of Leslie Street and Commissioners Street. Soon after, officers stopped following the vehicle.
* A short time later, the vehicle was located at the foot of Cherry Street and Commissioners Street.
* One officer was struck by the vehicle, and the driver of the vehicle was fatally shot.
* The officer was taken to St. Michael?s Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

The postmortem for Mr. Duda will take place on Tuesday, April 20 at 9:30 a.m.

Five investigators and three forensic investigators from the SIU are investigating this incident. Anyone who may have information regarding this case is asked to contact the Unit at 416-622-0748 or 1-800-787-8529.

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