News Release
SIU Terminates Guelph-Eramosa Township Death Investigation
Case Number: 18-PCD-296
Other News Releases Related to Case 18-PCD-296
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into the death of a 30-year-old man earlier this month in Guelph-Eramosa Township.
At 1:18 p.m. on October 3, 2018, the man contacted the Provincial Communications Centre (PCC) and informed that he was about to commit suicide and he described his location. While continuing to talk to the man, the PCC made efforts to locate the man’s cell phone via cell tower triangulation. A short time later, the man disconnected the call. In the meantime, several police officers had been dispatched. At 2:43 p.m., officers located the man, deceased, at the base of a hydro tower located at 7390 Side Road 14. He had suffered a fatal gunshot wound.
Director Loparco said, “The evidence is clear that police conduct did not contribute to the man’s death in any way. 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