News Release

News Release

SIU Concludes Investigation into Oakville Arrest

Case Number: 25-OCI-470   

Mississauga, ON (25 February, 2026) ---
Shortly before midnight, October 18, 2025, Halton Regional Police Service officers with the Tactical Rescue Unit were dispatched to an Oakville residence, with the intention to arrest a man under the Mental Health Act following a number of calls to police in which he was reported to have attacked motorists, brandishing a knife in one instance. The man refused to surrender to police.  Over the course of the next couple of hours, he would exit and re-enter his home through the front door, challenging the officers gathered by the road outside his house. At one point, officers were able to distract the man and apprehend him. The man was seen at hospital after his arrest and treated for a deep laceration to the scalp. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that any officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’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.

If you or someone you know has been negatively affected by an incident under SIU investigation and would like support, the Affected Persons Program is here to help. You can reach us at 1-877-641-1897. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7, every day of the year.

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (municipal, regional and provincial police officers, police officers with the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, 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