News Release
SIU Terminates Kitchener Investigation
Case Number: 18-OCI-301
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into the serious injuries sustained by a 28-year-old man last month in Kitchener when he fell from a second-floor window.
At approximately 10 p.m. on October 7, 2018, the Waterloo Regional Police Service received a 911 call to a residence in the area of Driftwood Drive and Highview Drive for a domestic situation. Upon arrival, a WRPS officer was informed by individuals outside that there was a man in the home with a knife. The officer saw the man at a second-floor window and had a conversation with him. The man disappeared from the officer’s sight momentarily, and then jumped through the window and landed on the ground below. He was transported to hospital for treatment of stomach injuries and a fractured femur.
Director Loparco said, “The evidence is clear that the man’s decision to jump out of his window – thereby causing his injury – had nothing to do with the police presence at the scene. 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