News Release

SIU Appealing for Witnesses to Ottawa Interaction

Case Number: 18-OCI-381   

Mississauga, ON (24 January, 2019) ---
The province’s Special Investigations Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding an interaction that occurred between a 26-year-old man and Ottawa Police Service (OPS) officers last month.

Preliminary information suggests the following:
  • At approximately 8 a.m. on December 31, 2018, an OPS officer was in his cruiser when he observed a dispute between a man and a woman in the area of Booth Street and Wellington Street. 
  • The officer exited his cruiser and soon after, he became involved in an interaction with the man.
  • Additional officers arrived, and the man was apprehended.
  • He was transported to hospital for treatment of a serious injury.

The SIU is urging anyone who may have information about this investigation to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529 ext 9035. The Unit is also urging 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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