News Release
Update on Ottawa Investigation
Case Number: 09-OFD-090
Other News Releases Related to Case 09-OFD-090
Second Update on Ottawa Investigation
SIU Investigates Shooting in Ottawa
The SIU has assigned four investigators and three forensic investigators to probe the circumstances surrounding this incident.
To date the SIU investigation has determined that at 6:00 p.m. on April 22, 2009 the OPS pursued a vehicle eastbound on Highway 417 relevant to an earlier criminal investigation. The vehicle was stopped at Highway 417 and Walkley Road. 43 year old Richard Bastien got out of the car and interacted with three officers. At some point during this interaction Mr. Bastien produced a handgun. An officer fired a number of shots and Mr. Bastien was struck.
Mr. Bastien was taken to Ottawa Civic Hospital where he was admitted with life-threatening injuries. He remains in hospital in critical condition.
The SIU has designated one officer as a subject officer and four officers as witness officers.
The SIU is asking that anyone who may have any information on this matter to contact the unit at 416-622-1898 or toll free at 1-800-787-8529 extension #1957.
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