News Release

News Release

No Charges to Issue in Relation to Man’s Arrest Outside of Walmart in St. Catharines

Case Number: 19-OCI-272   

Other News Releases Related to Case 19-OCI-272

SIU Seeking Witnesses to Interaction that Occurred in St. Catharines Walmart Parking Lot

Mississauga, ON (26 May, 2020) ---
On November 17, 2019, a Walmart store employee in St. Catharines notified police that a man was behaving strangely, and that store management wished to have him removed from the property. Police attended and arrested the man outside of the store. Once the 35-year-old man was handcuffed, it was discovered that he had a cut under his right eye which was bleeding heavily. At hospital, the man was assessed as having a fracture to the orbital bone of his right eye. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined that the level of force used by police was reasonably necessary in the circumstances, and as such, no charges will issue.

Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php. 

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

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