News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Shooting Death of Man Armed with Hammer in Toronto
Case Number: 24-TFD-233
Other News Releases Related to Case 24-TFD-233
SIU Investigating After Man Fatally Shot by Toronto Police Officer
The Special Investigations Unit found no reasonable grounds to believe a Toronto Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the fatal shooting of a 34-year-old man in June 2024.
On June 3, 2024, officers were called to the area of Ellesmere Avenue and Warden Avenue after 911 calls were received about a man who attempted a carjacking and ripped the windshield wiper blades off vehicles. Officers arrived when the man advanced on an officer with a hammer and a file. The officer discharged a conducted energy weapon (CEW) at the man twice. After briefly falling from the second discharged, the man got up and ran at another officer with the hammer held high. The officer shot the man once in the torso. He was handcuffed and taken to hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
Director Joseph Martino found little doubt the officer was at imminent risk of attack and that defensive action was necessary to preserve herself. He concluded her partner’s CEW discharges had not proven effective in deterring the man and it would have been apparent to the officer that her life hung in the balance if action was not taken to stop the man’s advance. He noted the officer attempt to create distance from the man, but he was closing the gap and was within striking range at the time of the shot. On this record, he was unable to reasonably conclude that the officer acted unreasonably when she met a threat of lethal force with a resort to lethal force of her own.
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.
Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES