News Release

News Release

SIU Investigates Custody Death near Mattawa

Case Number: 12-PCD-089   

Mississauga (29 March, 2012) --- Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is probing the circumstances surrounding the death of a 56-year-old man near Mattawa yesterday.

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) contacted the SIU and reported the following:
• In the afternoon of Wednesday, March 28, 2012, the OPP’s Emergency Response Team attended a residence on Martel Road.  They remained outside the home;
• At approximately 10:30 p.m., the Tactical Response Unit entered the residence;
• A man was found in a bedroom, with a gunshot wound to the chest.  He was pronounced deceased on scene.

The SIU has assigned three investigators and two forensic investigators to probe the circumstances of this incident.  A post mortem is scheduled for tomorrow.

Anyone with information or who may have witnessed this incident is asked to contact the lead investigator at 416-622-1898 or 1-800-787-8529 ext. 1898.

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