News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Woman’s Sault Ste. Marie Arrest
Case Number: 24-OCI-438
In the afternoon of October 13, 2024, Sault Ste Marie Police Service officers were dispatched to a residence with respect to a reported domestic disturbance. Upon arriving at the scene officers placed themselves between the two women to keep them separated. The officers then took hold of the aggressor, who reacted by striking them each in the face. The officers were able to seat the 24-year-old woman on the sidewalk while they waited for assistance to arrive. The woman was handcuffed behind her back. Paramedics transported the woman to hospital where she was treated for a fracture of the right arm. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that an officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the woman’s arrest and injury.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.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
Lisez ce communiqué en français.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES