News Release

News Release

SIU Concludes Falling Death Investigation in Toronto

Case Number: 11-TCD-268   

Mississauga (22 February, 2012) --- The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Ian Scott, has concluded that there are no reasonable grounds to charge an officer with the Toronto Police Service (TPS) with any criminal offence in relation to the death of 31-year-old Pardeep Singh Mann in December of 2011.

The SIU assigned four investigators and two forensic investigators to probe the circumstances of this incident.  The subject officer provided an interview to the SIU.  In addition to interviewing three witness officers and six civilian witnesses, investigators searched for closed circuit television images relevant to the incident.  Forensic investigators made a digital photographic record of the scene, collected physical evidence and seized exhibits relevant to the incident. 

The SIU investigation found that the following events took place on Wednesday, December 28:
• Around 11:30 p.m., the subject officer and his partner went to an apartment building at 60 Town Centre Court to execute two outstanding arrest warrants issued by Durham Regional Police naming Mr. Mann. 
• When officers went to the door of apartment 2103, an individual, who later turned out to be Mr. Mann, refused to open the door or identify himself. 
• The officers left and went to the lobby, at which time they were informed that two other TPS officers had ascended the elevators to Mr. Mann’s apartment.  The subject officer and his partner then returned to the 21st floor, where one of the witness officers was talking to Mr. Mann behind the closed door.  Mr. Mann informed the officer he was armed with a gun.
• Shortly thereafter, the occupants from a neighboring unit told the subject officer that someone was on their balcony.  The subject officer ran into their apartment and witnessed Mr. Mann attempting to return to his own balcony.  The two balconies abutted each other.  As the subject officer walked out onto the balcony, he heard two thuds.  He looked over the railing and saw Mr. Mann lying still on a 9th floor balcony approximately 30 metres below.

A subsequent autopsy concluded that Mr. Mann died of multiple traumas due to a fatal descent.

Director Scott said, “In my view, the subject officer had no direct involvement in Mr. Mann’s demise.  The subject officer, along with the other involved officers, was attempting to execute an arrest warrant and Mr. Mann was attempting to elude the police by surreptitiously moving from his own balcony to an adjacent one.  The only reasonable conclusion to draw from the investigation is he slipped when attempting to return to his own balcony and fell to his death. The subject officer cannot be held criminally responsible for the regrettable result of Mr. Mann’s attempt to elude a lawful apprehension.”

 

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