News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation into Windsor Arrest as No Serious Injury Sustained
Case Number: 20-OCI-083
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into an interaction that occurred in April between a 29-year-old man and Windsor Police Service officers.
At approximately 2:30 a.m. on April 13, 2020, Windsor Police Service officers responded to a suspicious person call at an address on Marentette Avenue. Officers located a man in a backyard, and a struggle ensued which included two officers deploying their conducted energy weapons. The man was arrested. The man was transported to hospital where a CT scan determined the man did not sustain any serious injuries.
Director Martino said, “Based upon the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, I am satisfied that the man did not sustain a “serious injury” for purposes of the SIU’s mandate. While several officers used force on the man during his arrest, including multiple CEW discharges, and the man suffered injuries as a result, including a laceration and the onset of rhabdomyolysis, the latter contributing to an acute kidney injury, these injuries have not traditionally been seen to constitute “serious injuries”. The laceration was treated with six stitches, and the rhabdomyolysis retreated with aggressive intravenous treatment. Consequently, as the SIU’s statutory jurisdiction is not engaged in these circumstances, the SIU investigation is hereby discontinued, and the file is 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