News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Ottawa Man's Death
Case Number: 07-OCI-201
The SIU assigned four investigators, two forensic identification technicians and an accident reconstructionist to probe the circumstances of this incident.
The SIU investigation revealed that at 4:42 a.m. on October 2, 2007, Mr. Alcantara Gomez was pacing in front of the First National Bank on Rideau Street. An OPS officer approached Mr. Alcantara Gomez to see if everything was all right. Mr. Alcantara Gomez turned around and jumped through a window into the bank's automated banking machine (ABM) area. Other officers arrived to assist the first officer. Mr. Alcantara Gomez then broke out a side window and exited the ABM area. At this point Mr. Alcantara Gomez armed himself with a pair of scissors. He lunged at the attending officers as they spoke to him in an effort to try and calm him down. Mr. Alcantara Gomez fled south on Waller Street. At Daly Avenue a police cruiser struck Mr. Alcantara Gomez. He was taken to Ottawa Civic Hospital and admitted for treatment.
On October 3, 2007, Mr. Alcantara Gomez fell from his second floor hospital room window and landed on a roof below. He was in police custody at the time of his fall. On October 4, 2007, Mr. Alcantara Gomez succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at Ottawa Civic Hospital.
In relation to the initial incident on Rideau St. Director Cornish said, "Mr. Alcantara Gomez came out of the bank armed with scissors and lunged at the officers. He then ran in the direction of some civilians that had come on the scene. One of the officers gave chase in his police cruiser. Mr. Alcantara Gomez veered into the path of this officer's cruiser and was struck. Based upon the totality of the available evidence I do not believe that the officer deliberately struck Mr. Alcantara Gomez with his police cruiser."
In relation to the incident at the Ottawa Civic Hospital, Director Cornish said, "In my view there are no reasonable grounds to believe that the subject officer in this matter committed any criminal offence. Mr. Alcantara Gomez was at the hospital under police guard and was able to rip free of his restraints quickly before anyone could react to stop him. Mr. Alcantara Gomez was able to break through the window of his room and fell to a rooftop below. He soon succumbed to the injuries he sustained in the fall, and unfortunately his life could not be saved."
If you or someone you know has been negatively affected by an incident under SIU investigation and would like support, the Affected Persons Program is here to help. You can reach us at 1-877-641-1897. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7, every day of the year.
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (municipal, regional and provincial police officers, police officers with the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, 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