News Release
SIU Director Determines Officers Did Not Contribute to Young Man’s Death
Case Number: 15-OCD-106
Other News Releases Related to Case 15-OCD-106
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit has determined that London Police officers did not contribute to the death of an 18-year-old man whose body was found in a park last May.
The SIU had assigned four investigators and one forensic investigator to probe the circumstances of this incident. The SIU interviewed three civilian witnesses and one witness officer and reviewed the duty notes of eight other witness officers.
The investigation found the following:
- Just after 10:10 p.m. on May 30, 2015, the young man told his girlfriend that he planned to harm himself.
- Friends and the London Police Service were alerted and a search was initiated.
- Close to midnight, a friend found him in a park at Southdale Road East and Adelaide Street South (Westminster Ponds).
- Officers and other emergency services attempted to revive the man.
- He was pronounced dead at hospital.
- A post mortem determined the cause of death to be hanging.
SIU Director Tony Loparco said, “The cause of the young man’s death is not in dispute; he committed suicide on the night of May 30, 2015.
“On the facts, there is no evidence that any police officer had contact with the man when he was alive or in any way contributed to his death. The numerous officers and other first responders who worked to save the man performed their duties with professionalism and care.
“No charges shall be laid against any officer in connection with this tragic incident.”
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