Director's Report Details

The Special Investigations Unit is a civilian law enforcement agency that investigates incidents involving an official where there has been death, serious injury, the discharge of a firearm at a person or an allegation of sexual assault. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, 2019 (SIU Act), officials are defined as police officers, special constables of the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers under the Legislative Assembly Act. The SIU’s jurisdiction covers more than 50 municipal, regional and provincial police services across Ontario.

Under the SIU Act, the Director of the SIU must determine based on the evidence gathered in an investigation whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that a criminal offence was committed. If such grounds exist, the Director has the authority to lay a criminal charge against the official. Alternatively, in cases where no reasonable grounds exist, the Director cannot lay charges. Where no charges are laid, a report of the investigation is prepared and released publicly, except in the case of reports dealing with allegations of sexual assault, in which case the SIU Director may consult with the affected person and exercise a discretion to not publicly release the report having regard to the affected person’s privacy interests.

Special Investigations Unit Act, 2019

Pursuant to section 34, certain information may not be included in this report. This information may include, but is not limited to, the following:

• The name of, and any information identifying, a subject official, witness official, civilian witness or affected person.
• Information that may result in the identity of a person who reported that they were sexually assaulted being revealed in connection with the sexual assault.
• Information that, in the opinion of the SIU Director, could lead to a risk of serious harm to a person.
• Information that discloses investigative techniques or procedures.
• Information, the release of which is prohibited or restricted by law.
• Information in which a person’s privacy interest in not having the information published clearly outweighs the public interest in having the information published.

Freedom of Information and Protection of Personal Privacy Act

Pursuant to section 14 (i.e., law enforcement), certain information may not be included in this report. This information may include, but is not limited to, the following:

• Confidential investigative techniques and procedures used by law enforcement agencies; and
• Information that could reasonably be expected to interfere with a law enforcement matter or an investigation undertaken with a view to a law enforcement proceeding.

Pursuant to section 21 (i.e., personal privacy), protected personal information is not included in this report. This information may include, but is not limited to, the following:

• The names of persons, including civilian witnesses, and subject and witness officials;
• Location information;
• Witness statements and evidence gathered in the course of the investigation provided to the SIU in confidence; and
• Other identifiers which are likely to reveal personal information about individuals involved in the investigation.

Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004

Pursuant to this legislation, any information related to the personal health of identifiable individuals is not included.

Other proceedings, processes, and investigations

Information may also have been excluded from this report because its release could undermine the integrity of other proceedings involving the same incident, such as criminal proceedings, coroner’s inquests, other public proceedings and/or other law enforcement investigations.

Pursuant to section 15 of the SIU Act, the SIU may investigate the conduct of officials, be they police officers, special constables of the Niagara Parks Commission or peace officers under the Legislative Assembly Act, that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault or the discharge of a firearm at a person.

A person sustains a “serious injury” for purposes of the SIU’s jurisdiction if they: sustain an injury as a result of which they are admitted to hospital; suffer a fracture to the skull, or to a limb, rib or vertebra; suffer burns to a significant proportion of their body; lose any portion of their body; or, as a result of an injury, experience a loss of vision or hearing.

In addition, a “serious injury” means any other injury sustained by a person that is likely to interfere with the person’s health or comfort and is not transient or trifling in nature.

This report relates to the SIU’s investigation into the serious injury of a 50-year-old man (the “Complainant”).

Notification of the SIU[1]

On May 31, 2026, at 10:32 p.m. the Peel Regional Police (PRP) contacted the SIU with the following information.

On May 31, 2026, at 12:52 p.m., the PRP received a call for service at a residence in the area of Sandalwood Parkway West and McLaughlin Road North, Brampton. Reportedly, the Complainant, who was a basement tenant at the address, was in possession of a knife and had threatened the occupants on the main floor. Police officers encountered the Complainant outside and directed him to drop the knife. He complied but then began to act erratically. At about 12:59 p.m., police officers grounded the Complainant, and his face impacted the ground. The Complainant was transported to William Osler Health System - Brampton Civic Hospital (BCH). At 8:08 p.m., the Complainant was diagnosed with a small fracture to the top of the nose.

The Team

Date and time team dispatched: 2026/05/31 at 10:51 p.m.

Date and time SIU arrived on scene: 2026/06/01 at 1:05 a.m.

Number of SIU Investigators assigned: 4

Number of SIU Forensic Investigators assigned: 1

Affected Person (aka “Complainant”):

50-year-old male; interviewed; medical records obtained and reviewed

The Complainant was interviewed on June 9, 2026.

Civilian Witnesses

CW #1 Interviewed

CW #2 Interviewed

The civilian witnesses were interviewed on June 3, 2026.

Subject Official

SO Declined interview and to provide notes, as is the subject official’s legal right

Witness Officials

WO #1 Interviewed; notes received and reviewed

WO #2 Not interviewed; notes reviewed, and interview deemed unnecessary

WO #3 Not interviewed; notes reviewed, and interview deemed unnecessary

WO #1 was interviewed on June 8, 2026.

The Scene

The events in question transpired outside a residence near Sandalwood Parkway West and McLaughlin Road North, Brampton.

Physical Evidence

On June 1, 2026, at 1:05 a.m., SIU forensic services arrived at the scene – the roadway in front of a residence in the area of Sandalwood Parkway West and McLaughlin Road North, Brampton.

The residence, located on the south side of the roadway, consisted of a two-story brick duplex with an attached garage. The residence shared a paved driveway with the adjacent residence. There was a small overgrown grass area to the east of the driveway. An area of suspected bloodstaining was located on the south side of the roadway, about 2.1 metres north of the curb.

The staining was swabbed, and photographs were taken of the scene.

Video/Audio/Photographic Evidence[2]

Body-worn Camera (BWC) Footage

On May 31, 2026, at 12:57 p.m., WO #1 arrived on the scene. He exited his cruiser and walked down the roadway. A man pointed WO #1 in the direction of the Complainant. The Complainant came into view, and WO #1 drew his firearm and aimed it at him. The Complainant turned to face WO #1 and raised his hands in the air above his head. He had a knife in his left hand. WO #1 ordered the Complainant to drop the knife and lay down on the ground. The Complainant dropped the knife, turned his back on WO #1, and went down to his knees. WO #1 told the Complainant three times to lay on his stomach. The Complainant failed to do so. He turned and made utterances, although what he said could not be discerned. The SO arrived on scene and joined in yelling commands to the Complainant to lay down on his stomach. The Complainant continued to speak to the police officers, and asked what they wanted him to do. He reached for the bottom of his shirt and raised it above his stomach. The SO rushed forward and kicked him in the back. The Complainant fell forward, his face striking the paved road. The SO grabbed the Complainant’s left hand and WO #1 grabbed the Complainant’s right hand, after which they handcuffed the Complainant behind the back. The SO informed police dispatch that the Complainant was in custody, and the officers proceeded to lift the Complainant to his feet. He had blood running down his nose and mouth.

At 12:58 p.m., the Complainant was escorted to WO #1’s police vehicle. A search was performed and the Complainant was placed in the back seat of the police vehicle.

At 1:02 p.m., WO #3 arrived, and WO #1 reported what had happened. The SO added that he had kicked the Complainant when he refused to comply with their commands and reached for his waistband. The Complainant had hit his nose on the ground, resulting in an injury. The SO proceeded to pick the knife the Complainant had from the ground. WO #3 asked several people who stood by watching if any of them was involved or saw what had happened. A male person, who identified himself as one of the 911 callers, approached the SO. He provided his personal information and an audio statement to the SO.

At 1:12 p.m., an ambulance arrived on scene. The SO told the paramedics that the Complainant had some mental health problems.

Cellphone Footage – CW #2 and CW #1

On May 31, 2026, at 12:34 p.m., the Complainant was captured standing outside on the driveway of a residence in the area of Sandalwood Parkway West and McLaughlin Road North, Brampton, staring at the window and the person video-recording from inside the residence. The Complainant had a kitchen knife with a black handle and silver blade, about 10 centimetres long, in his right hand. He turned and walked towards a white car parked on the street. CW #2 was heard speaking with a 911 operator. The operator asked if it was the Complainant screaming in the background, and the person recording said it was, and that the Complainant was threatening them.

At 12:35 p.m., the Complainant paced about on the lawn of the address. He had the knife in his right hand, and he slashed the branch of a tree on the side of the street before the footage ended.

At 12:53 p.m., a 911 operator spoke with CW #2 and the voices of police officers yelling commands were soon heard outside. WO #1 and the SO stood next to each other with their firearms drawn and aimed at the Complainant, who was on his knees in the middle of the street with his back turned to police officers. The police officers yelled commands at the Complainant to get down on his stomach. The Complainant made utterances that could not be understood. The police officers approached the Complainant and the SO kicked him in the back. As the police officers bent over to deal with him, the camera panned away, and the dispatcher continued her conversation with CW #2.

At 1:52 p.m., the Complainant was captured laying face down on the ground with WO #1 and the SO crouched on either side of him. The police officers held his hands behind the back.

At 1:53 p.m., CW #2 stood a short distance away and watched as WO #1 and the SO lifted the Complainant from the ground to his feet. One of the police officers yelled at the Complainant, “Stop fucking around.” The Complainant mumbled some incomprehensible words and fell forward. The police officers appeared to catch him before he hit the ground. They eventually escorted the Complaoinant, whose hands were handcuffed behind the back, towards two PRP police vehicles parked by the side of the street.

PRP Communications Recordings

On May 31, 2026, at 12:52 p.m., a 911 call was received from CW #2, reporting that a male [the Complainant], who was a basement tenant and currently outside, had made threats. CW #2 indicated that CW #1 had been downstairs doing laundry when the Complainant approached and threatened him with a knife, waving it in his face. No one was injured. The Complainant was now alone outside the residence, and he was heard yelling in the background. The Complainant was throwing items and waving the knife in the air, and he had damaged their vehicles. The knife was described as a larger kitchen knife with a red and grey handle. A description of the Complainant was provided. Yelling was heard, and the call was disconnected.

At about the same time, a 911 call was received from a male at a residence in the area of Sandalwood Parkway West and McLaughlin Road North, Brampton. The male reported that the Complainant was holding a knife and making threats in front of the residence. He was said to be holding a long knife and attempting to enter the residence. The male believed the Complainant was intoxicated because he shouted and yelled, “There is one whore in this house. Come outside I want to kill you.” The male confirmed the yelling in the background was the Complainant.

At 12:53 p.m., the dispatcher advised the SO, WO #1 and WO #3 of a priority one “weapons dangerous” call at a residence in the area of Sandalwood Parkway West and McLaughlin Road North, Brampton. The caller [now known to be CW #1] had called to report that the Complainant had threatened him with a knife. There were no injuries.

At 12:57 p.m., the dispatcher advised officers that the Complainant still had the knife in his hand and was throwing things around. The knife was described as a big kitchen knife with a red handle. One caller had stated there was a woman in the house whom the Complainant wanted to kill. WO #1 broadcast, “Male’s dropped, dropped the knife.”

At 12:58 p.m., WO #1 advised they had the Complainant in custody.

At 1:30 p.m., the SO advised he was en route to BCH following an ambulance. WO #1 was on board with the ambulance.

Materials Obtained from Police Service

Upon request, the SIU received the following materials from PRP between June 1, 2026, and June 9, 2026:

• Police communications recordings
• BWC footage
• Civilian witness statements
• In-car camera footage
• Incident Details Report
• Occurrence Details
• Notes – WO #1, WO #2 and WO #3
• Person Details Report – the Complainant
• PRP policies - Mental Health and Addiction Policy; Incident Response; Criminal Investigations
• Photographs

Materials Obtained from Other Sources

The SIU obtained the following records from the following other sources between June 6, 2026, and July 31, 2026:

• Ambulance Call Report from Peel Emergency Medical Services
• Cellphone footage from civilian witnesses
• The Complainant’s medical records from BCH

The evidence collected by the SIU, including interviews with the Complainant and other witnesses (police and non-police), and video footage that largely captured the incident, gives rise to the following scenario. As was his legal right, the SO did not agree an interview with the SIU or the release of his notes.

In the afternoon of May 31, 2026, PRP officers were dispatched to a residence in the area of Sandalwood Parkway West and McLaughlin Road North, Brampton, following calls to police about a male brandishing a knife. Tenants at the address reported that a fellow tenant – the Complainant – had waved a knife at them and threatened to kill them. He was presently outside behaving erratically, the knife still in his possession.

WO #1 was the first officer on scene, followed shortly by the SO. The officers confronted the Complainant on the roadway and ordered him at gunpoint to drop the knife and get down to the ground. The Complainant was intoxicated and of unsound mind, but he complied with the direction by dropping the knife, raising his hands and then dropping to his knees, his back turned to the officers. The officers, east of the Complainant at a distance of several metres, directed him several times to lay flat on the road. The Complainant either did not understand the instruction or refused to comply. He remained on his knees with his torso erect. When the Complainant subsequently lifted his shirt above the waist, the SO moved in quickly and kicked him in the back. The strike propelled the Complainant forward onto his front. He struck his face on the road and broke his nose in the process. The SO and WO #1 moved in, controlled the Complainant’s arms and handcuffed him behind the back.

Section 25(1), Criminal Code - Protection of Persons Acting Under Authority

25 (1) Every one who is required or authorized by law to do anything in the administration or enforcement of the law

(a) as a private person,

(b) as a peace officer or public officer,

(c) in aid of a peace officer or public officer, or

(d) by virtue of his office,

is, if he acts on reasonable grounds, justified in doing what he is required or authorized to do and in using as much force as is necessary for that purpose.

Section 88, Criminal Code of Canada - Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose

88 (1) Every person commits an offence who carries or possesses a weapon, an imitation of a weapon, a prohibited device or any ammunition or prohibited ammunition for a purpose dangerous to the public peace or for the purpose of committing an offence.

(2) Every person who commits an offence under subsection (1)

(a) is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years; or

b) is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.

Section 264.1, Criminal Code of Canada - Uttering Threats

264.1 (1) Every one commits an offence who, in any manner, knowingly utters, conveys or causes any person to receive a threat

(a) to cause death or bodily harm to any person;

(a) to burn, destroy or damage real or personal property; or

(c) to kill, poison or injure an animal or bird that is the property of any person.

The Complainant was seriously injured in the course of his arrest by PRP officers on May 31, 2026. The SIU was notified of the incident and initiated an investigation, naming the SO the subject official. The investigation is now concluded. On my assessment of the evidence, there are no reasonable grounds to believe that the SO committed a criminal offence in connection with the Complainant’s arrest and injury.

Pursuant to section 25(1) of the Criminal Code, police officers are immune from criminal liability for force used in the course of their duties provided such force was reasonably necessary in the execution of an act that they were required or authorized to do by law.

With information at their disposal that the Complainant had threatened several persons with a knife, I am satisfied the SO and WO #1 were within their rights in moving to arrest him for uttering threats and possession of a weapon contrary to sections 264.1 and 88 of the Criminal Code, respectively.

I am also satisfied that the officers used only lawful force to take the Complainant into custody. They understandably confronted the Complainant with their firearms drawn and pointed at him. The Complainant had threatened to use the knife to kill people and represented a risk of serious bodily harm or death to the officers and others in the vicinity. Even when he dropped the knife, it remained nearby and was easily accessible to him before he was knocked to the ground. For that same reason, and because the Complainant was refusing to prostrate himself and had even lifted his shirt, the SO’s kick was legally justified. That action, delivered with moderate force, immediately neutralized the Complainant as a serious threat and led to his prompt apprehension.

In the result, while it is regrettable that the Complainant’s nose was broken by the SO, there are no reasonable grounds to believe that the injury is attributable to unlawful conduct on the part of the officer. As such, there is no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case.

Before closing the file, I note for the record that the SO did not activate his BWC in a timely fashion, in possible contravention of sections 19 and 27 of the Police Code of Conduct. I will be referring this matter to the chief of police and, pursuant to section 35.1 of the Special Investigations Act, 2019, to the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency.

Date: September 14, 2026

Electronically approved by

Joseph Martino

Director

Special Investigations Unit