Due to No Serious Injury, SIU Discontinues Cambridge Investigation
Case Number:
26-OCI-216
Mississauga, ON (28 September, 2026) ---
The Deputy Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Stacey O’Brien, has terminated an investigation into an interaction that had occurred between a 35-year-old man and police in Cambridge in May.
In the afternoon of May 16, 2026, Waterloo Regional Police Service officers were dispatched to an address in Cambridge, following a 911 call regarding a male who appeared to be experiencing a mental health crisis and was live-streaming while expressing suicidal ideation, including an intention to set himself on fire. Officers attended the residence and approached the front door. The man was observed through a front window in the kitchen area holding a knife. Officers attempted to communicate with the man for almost three hours; however, meaningful communication could not be established. The man threatened officers, expressed a desire to be shot, refused to drop the knife, and inflicted a stab wound to his upper chest. To prevent further injury and secure the man, officers deployed their conducted energy weapons, enabling them to disarm him and take him into custody. The man was transported to hospital where he was treated for a minor laceration to the abdomen.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, which included a review of video footage that captured the incident in parts, Deputy Director O’Brien was satisfied that the investigation should be discontinued. There being no indication of any “serious injury” within the mandate of the SIU, the unit was without jurisdiction to investigate the incident. The file has been closed.
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
