News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Death in Lakeshore
Case Number: 05-PCD-184
Other News Releases Related to Case 05-PCD-184
On December 7, 2005, Mr. Reaume, 45 years of age, died at his home on Manning Road in the town of Lakeshore. SIU investigators were assigned to independently investigate the police's action in the events leading up to Mr. Reaume's death.
The SIU investigation determined that at about 1:45 p.m. on December 7th, OPP officers from the Essex detachment responded to 4000 Manning Road after three people were shot during a domestic incident. A woman and her two sons were shot at while they were in their car and attempting to leave the home after retrieving some belongings. Although all three people were injured, they were able to drive away to the end of a farm laneway where they called 911.
The first officers who arrived on scene secured a perimeter to contain the area around the home. Police had information that Mr. Reaume was inside the home and that he had used a rifle to shoot his wife and her two sons. They also learned he may be armed with rifles, shotguns and possibly handguns.
From about 2:00 p.m. to 10:47 p.m., officers were unsuccessful in establishing contact with anyone inside the home. During this time, officers did not hear any gunshots or see any movement from inside the house. At about 10:30 p.m., three Tactical Rescue Unit (TRU) officers were assigned to move along the side of the home in an attempt to look inside. At 10:47 p.m., an officer reported seeing a man lying on the living room floor with a shotgun underneath him. The TRU team entered the home and found Mr. Reaume suffering from a fatal gunshot wound to his head.
Director Cornish concluded, "Based upon the totality of the available evidence, I believe that there was nothing the police could have done to prevent Mr. Reaume's self-destruction. The police did nothing that caused or contributed to Mr. Reaume's death."
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