News Release
Man Left Hospital without Being X-rayed; SIU Terminates Investigation as Serious Injury not Confirmed
Case Number: 18-TCI-011
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into a January 2013 interaction that occurred between two men and Toronto Police Service (TPS) officers. The SIU was notified of this incident by one of the men in January of 2018.
At approximately 2 a.m. on January 2, 2013, TPS officers attended an apartment building in relation to a dispute between neighbours. While arresting a man from one of the apartment units, there was an interaction between him and officers. A further interaction ensued between police and another man in that same unit. Both men were incarcerated, and days later they both sought medical attention for suspected rib injuries. Medical documentation indicated that one of the men did not have fractured ribs. The second man left the hospital without being treated or x-rayed.
Director Loparco said, “It is clear that the first man did not sustain a serious injury. Although triage documentation at the hospital indicated that the second man may have suffered fractured ribs, this could not be substantiated as he left the hospital without being treated or x-rayed. Thus, a serious injury could not be confirmed. 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