News Release

Serious Injuries Sustained during Rush Hour Arrest in Toronto; SIU Seeking Witnesses

Case Number: 17-TCI-294   

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Mississauga, ON (11 October, 2017) ---
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit is examining the circumstances surrounding an arrest and serious injury that occurred during the rush hour on Queens Quay in Toronto.

Preliminary information suggests the following occurred:
  • At 5:00 p.m. on October 10, 2017, a Toronto Police Service officer observed a man on a bicycle ride through a red traffic light on Queens Quay just west of Yonge Street.
  • The police officer arrested the man.
  • During the arrest, the 44-year-old man suffered a serious injury. 
    
Two investigators have been assigned to this incident.

The SIU has designated one subject officer and two witness officers as part of this investigation.

SIU investigators believe that several persons witnessed the arrest and injury, given the time of day and the number of persons in the area. 

The SIU is urging anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529. The Unit is also asking anyone who may have any video evidence related to this incident to upload that video through the SIU website.

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

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