News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation into Man’s Fall from Roof in Thunder Bay
Case Number: 18-OCI-014
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into the serious injuries sustained by a 38-year-old man last month in Thunder Bay.
On January 21, 2018, Thunder Bay Police Service officers attended a residence in relation to a domestic incident. When police arrived, the man was in his room. In an attempt to avoid speaking with the officers, the man exited through a window onto an icy, sloping roof. The man slid off the roof and fell to the cement sidewalk below. He was transported by ambulance to hospital where he was diagnosed with fractures to his ankles.
Director Loparco said, “The injuries to the man occurred as a result of his own actions prior to his contact with the police. Accordingly, I have terminated the investigation into this 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