News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Injuries to Halton Man
Case Number: 06-OCI-107
Other News Releases Related to Case 06-OCI-107
On June 25, 2006, at about 2:30 a.m., the HRPS received calls about a man holding a knife. He had no shirt on and was running along Old Lakeshore Road in Burlington. Three officers responded and surrounded the man in the area of Lakeshore Road and Elizabeth Street. The officers spaced themselves out in a semi-circle, facing the man.
Two officers drew their TASER devices and pointed it at the man, ordering him to put the knife down. The man started to stab himself in his chest. Both officers then fired their TASER devices, striking the man in the torso. He fell to the ground and an ambulance was immediately called. The officers secured the knife and administered first aid until the paramedics arrived. The man was transported to hospital where he was treated for two serious chest wounds.
The Deputy Director concluded that the officers did not cause the man any injury and that the officers' use of their TASERs stopped the man from killing himself.
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