News Release
SIU Terminates Toronto Investigation into Man’s Fall from Apartment Balcony
Case Number: 24-TCI-398
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the serious injury suffered by a 42-year-old man in September in Toronto.
In the morning of September 19, 2024, Toronto Police Service officers arrived at the front door of an apartment building in the area of Broadway Avenue and Yonge Street after a woman reported that she had been assaulted by her male partner. The officers knocked on the door and were greeted by a heavily intoxicated man. They told him he would be arrested for assault and allowed him to retreat back into the apartment to get dressed as they waited outside the door. Minutes later, as the officers called into the apartment but received no response, they came to learn that the man had fallen from the balcony. Paramedics were called to the scene and the man was taken to hospital having suffered a broken leg and fractures of the clavicle and spine.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, including a review of video footage that captured the incident in part, Director Martino was satisfied the investigation should be discontinued. At no point did officers enter the apartment prior to the man’s fall. At no point did the officers have reason to believe that the man might attempt to escape via the balcony. On this record, it was evident that the man was alone responsible for the fall resulting in his injuries. Accordingly, there was patently nothing to investigate as far as the officers’ potential criminal liability was concerned, and the file has been closed.
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
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Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES