News Release
Toronto Police Officer Charged in Relation to Firearm Discharge Outside of Hotel
Case Number: 16-TFI-043
Other News Releases Related to Case 16-TFI-043
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Tony Loparco, has reasonable grounds to believe a Toronto Police Service (TPS) officer committed a criminal offence in relation to the shooting injury sustained by a man in February of 2016. Director Loparco has caused a charge to be laid against the officer.
The SIU investigation found the following:
- On Monday, February 15, 2016, TPS officers followed a vehicle into the parking lot of the Toronto Don Valley Hotel & Suites, located at 175 Wynford Drive, in relation to an investigation they were conducting.
- Outside the hotel, there was an interaction between an officer and one of the occupants of the vehicle, a 31-year-old male.
- The officer’s gun discharged, and the man sustained a gunshot wound to the arm.
As a result of the SIU investigation, TPS Constable John De Sousa is facing one count of careless use of a firearm, contrary to s. 86(1) of the Criminal Code.
The officer is required to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 1000 Finch Avenue West in Toronto on March 1, 2017.
The matter is now properly before the courts. In consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, the SIU will make no further comment pertaining to this investigation.
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