News Release
SIU Investigates Death of London Man
Case Number: 06-OCD-181
On October 28, 2006, at about 6:36 p.m., London Police Service (LPS) officers responded to a domestic dispute call at a home on Cheapside Street. Officers arrived to find that a man had barricaded himself inside the home. They secured a perimeter around the home and started to negotiate with the man. At about 10:20 p.m., there was an exchange of gunfire between the officers and the man, who was still barricaded inside the home. This continued until about 10:50 p.m., which is when officers resumed negotiations with the man.
Early this morning at about 5:27 a.m., officers entered the home to find the man suffering from an apparent fatal gunshot wound. There was no one else inside of the home.
Seven SIU investigators are investigating the circumstances surrounding the man¡¯s death to determine what role, if any, the police played. Investigators are processing the scene and interviewing witnesses. The investigation is continuing.
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