News Release
No Fault Found in Actions of Police in Cambridge Preceding Man’s Self-inflicted Death
Case Number: 19-OCD-087
Other News Releases Related to Case 19-OCD-087
SIU Investigating after Man in Cambridge Sustains Gunshot Wound
UPDATE: Man Who Sustained Gunshot Wound in Cambridge has Died
In April of 2019, a 39-year-old man was wanted by police on two arrest warrants for having breached various conditions of his release from custody, and he was also a suspect in the shooting death of a woman in Cambridge. On April 27, 2019, Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) officers were following the man when he drove his vehicle into a wooded area behind a gas station in Cambridge. The area was contained, and some time later, the decision was made to arrest the man. When the officers got closer to the man, he ran and the officers gave chase. A short time later, the man shot himself in the head with a handgun. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. The Interim Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to lay criminal charges against a WRPS officer in relation to the man’s death.
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