News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation into Niagara Falls Death
Case Number: 17-OOD-275
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into the falling death of a 46-year-old man last month in the Niagara Region.
At approximately 2:20 p.m. on Monday, September 25, 2017, members from the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) and from the Niagara Parks Police Service (NPPS) responded to the Niagara Parkway as a result of a call. Upon arrival, a man was located hanging onto the railing above the Niagara Gorge. While one NPPS special constable commenced communicating with the man, the other NPPS special constables and NRPS officers assisted with the perimeter by clearing both vehicle and pedestrian traffic in the area. A short time later, the man let go of the railing and fell to his death.
Director Loparco said, “Based on the evidence, it is clear that the NPPS – over whom the Unit has no jurisdiction – was communicating with the man. The NRPS officers did not have contact with the deceased, and as such, this investigation has been terminated.”
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