News Release
No Grounds to Charge Officer in Connection with Fatal Jump from Burgoyne Bridge
Case Number: 18-OCD-297
Other News Releases Related to Case 18-OCD-297
SIU Investigating Man’s Fatal Fall from Burgoyne Bridge in St. Catharines
In the evening of October 4, 2018, Niagara Regional Police Service officers were dispatched to the Burgoyne Bridge after being notified that a 19-year-old male had threatened to jump from the bridge. When an officer attempted to apprehend the male, he pulled away and jumped to Highway 406 below. The Interim Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to lay criminal charges against the officer in relation to this fatal incident.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.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