News Release

SIU Concludes Investigation into Toronto Officer’s Gunfire at Man

Case Number: 24-TFP-422   

Mississauga, ON (30 January, 2025) ---
The Special Investigations Unit found no reasonable grounds to believe a Toronto Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with shooting his gun at a 21-year-old man during a robbery investigation. On Oct. 2, 2024, officers were investigating a Honda Civic in an underground parkade in the area of Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue East as it was believed to have been involved in robberies. 

The males believed responsible for the robberies approached the Civic, and officers attempted to arrest them. One of the men was handcuffed and the other fled. While he was running away in the parkade, the man was struck by a vehicle. While he was on the ground, an officer grabbed him and they wrestled. While they were on the ground, the male’s gun discharged and struck the officer. The man ran in the direction of the other officer, and the officer shot at him once. The bullet missed. The man fled in the Civic and later turned himself in to police.

Director Martino found the shot fired by the officer constituted reasonable force in self-defence. 

Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):

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

Lisez ce communiqué en français.

Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES