News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Toronto Arrest
Case Number: 24-TCI-540
On September 18, 2024, Toronto Police Service officers were dispatched to the area of Danforth Avenue and Warden Avenue after receiving 911 calls about a male behaving erratically – walking on the road, striking vehicles with a wooden stick and removing items from front porches. Officers were able to coax the 30-year-old man onto the sidewalk. Persuaded that the public’s and the man’s safety were at risk by his behaviour, the officers decided to apprehend him under the Mental Health Act. Following a struggle, the man was handcuffed. Upon noticing that the man had a pocketknife in his right hand, another struggle ensued. At hospital, the man was diagnosed with fractures to the lateral aspect of his left third and fourth ribs.
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 man’s arrest and injuries.
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