News Release

SIU Appealing for Witnesses to Ottawa Interaction

Case Number: 19-OCI-049   

Mississauga, ON (13 March, 2019) ---
The province’s Special Investigations Unit is appealing for witnesses to an interaction that occurred last week between a 19-year-old man and Ottawa Police Service officers.

Preliminary information suggests the following:
  • At approximately 11 a.m. on March 7, 2019, police attended the Food Basics at the Herongate plaza as a result of receiving a call.
  • When a person of interest fled, police officers pursued him. The man was apprehended on Walkley road, in front of the grocery store.
  • The man was taken to hospital for treatment of a serious injury.

Two investigators have been assigned to this incident. At this time, one subject officer and three witness officers have been designated.

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