News Release

News Release

SIU Concludes Investigation into Injury Suffered by Man at Ottawa Hospital

Case Number: 26-OCI-083   

Mississauga, ON (8 June, 2026) ---
On February 20, 2026, an Ottawa Police Service officer apprehended a 26-year-old man under the Mental Health Act, and took him to hospital. At hospital, the man became increasingly agitated. At one point, he  confronted the officers at the threshold of the room in which he had been placed. He was warned that he would be handcuffed if he did not calm down. When his belligerence continued, the officers tried to control the man’s arms behind the back. In the process, the man fell face first and fractured his nose. 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 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.

Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES