SIU Discontinues Toronto Investigation
Case Number:
26-TVI-330
Mississauga, ON (28 September, 2026) ---
The Deputy Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Stacey O’Brien, has terminated an investigation into the serious injury suffered by a 32-year-old man in July in Toronto.
In the afternoon of July 18, 2026, a 911 call was made to police reporting that a man was walking along Yonge Street assaulting strangers. Officers were dispatched to the area. When an officer attempted to engage with the man, he fled on foot and was subsequently struck by a civilian vehicle. After being struck, he got up and continued to flee on foot before being apprehended by police. He was transported to hospital and diagnosed with an age-indeterminate compression fracture.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, Deputy Director O’Brien was satisfied that the investigation should be discontinued. Video and witness evidence established that the man was struck by a civilian vehicle during the foot pursuit. The evidence further established that the officer remained between approximately 15 and 40 feet behind the man at all material times and did not make physical contact with him during the pursuit. Finally, the evidence established that no strikes were delivered and that no force, beyond the application of handcuffs incidental to the arrest, was used by police. It was plain and obvious that the police did nothing that could conceivably attract criminal liability in connection with the man’s injuries. There being patently nothing to investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of the police was concerned, 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
