News Release

SIU Investigating After Man Falls From Balcony in Ottawa

Case Number: 16-OCD-245   

Mississauga, ON (24 September, 2016) ---
The province’s Special Investigations Unit has been called to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of a 52-year-old man who fell from a balcony today in Ottawa.

Preliminary information suggests the following:
  • At approximately 12:45 p.m. on Saturday, September 24, 2016, Ottawa Police Service officers responded to an apartment building at 1300 McWatters Street.
  • Officers arrived at a unit and knocked on the door.
  • A short time later, a man fell from the unit’s balcony.
  • He was later pronounced dead.
    
Four investigators and two forensic investigators have been assigned to investigate this incident. 

The SIU is urging anyone who may have information about this investigation to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529.

If you or someone you know is an affected person in need of support, please call the Affected Persons Program General Referral Line at 1-877-641-1897 or click here for more information: siu.on.ca/en/apc.php

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