News Release
SIU Discontinues Scarborough Investigation
Case Number: 25-TCI-019
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the serious injuries suffered by a 37-year-old man in January in Scarborough.
On January 19, 2025, Toronto Police Service officers attended an address in the area of Kennedy Road and Sheppard Avenue East following a call to police regarding a domestic assault. The officers approached the front door, and met a man in the doorway. Noting that the man’s right hand appeared to be wounded, one of the officers questioned him about it. During his subsequent arrest, the man was noncompliant and taken to the ground by the officers. The man was subsequently transported to hospital and diagnosed with fractures of the right hand.
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 this time. Witness narrative and video footage established that the man’s hand was already injured prior to police interaction. On this record, it was apparent that the man alone was responsible for his injury. Accordingly, there being nothing to investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of any police officer was concerned, 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
Lisez ce communiqué en français.
Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES