News Release
SIU Closes File Related to Firearm Discharge by Officer in Mississauga
Case Number: 19-OFI-114
Other News Releases Related to Case 19-OFI-114
SIU Investigating Weekend Discharge of Firearm by Police Officer in Mississauga
SIU Appealing for Potential Shooting Victim in Mississauga to Come Forward
The Interim Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation that looked into the May discharge of a firearm by a Peel Regional Police (PRP) officer in Mississauga.
At approximately 3 p.m. on May 25, 2019, PRP officers attended an address on Marmac Crescent in relation to a stolen vehicle investigation. While officers were present, a man entered the vehicle and proceeded to operate it, driving towards one of the officers. The officer discharged his firearm twice at the vehicle, resulting in the vehicle’s windshield being struck. The van was subsequently located that day unoccupied; it had crashed into a vehicle at an address on Pettigrew Crescent. A faint human blood stain was located on the side of the driver’s seat closest to the passenger seat.
On June 12, 2019, the SIU issued a news release appealing to the driver of the van to contact the SIU.
Interim Director Martino said, “The SIU has been unable to positively identify who was operating the van at the time of the shooting. The only person of interest, a man, spoke with the SIU and indicated he was neither inside the van, nor shot at by police, at the time of the incident. A visual inspection of his upper body revealed no injuries consistent with a gunshot wound. Based on these preliminary inquiries, which have revealed no serious injury to an identifiable complainant, the SIU is without jurisdiction to continue its investigation and the file is hereby closed.”
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