News Release
SIU Investigating Death of Man in Atikokan
Case Number: 20-PCD-273
Other News Releases Related to Case 20-PCD-273
No Charges for Police in Man’s Drug Overdose Death While in Custody in Northwestern Ontario
- At approximately 6:30 p.m. CST on October 18, 2020, two Ontario Provincial Police officers with the Atikokan detachment observed the man on Mercury Avenue East in breach of a condition of judicial release from custody.
- After a brief struggle, the man was arrested and taken to the police detachment where he was lodged in a cell.
- Approximately 1.5 hours later, the man was observed to be in medical distress.
- First aid was performed, and Emergency Medical Services transported the man to hospital.
- The man was pronounced deceased at 10:52 p.m. CST.
If you or someone you know is an affected person in need of support, please call the Affected Persons Program General Referral Line at 1-877-641-1897 or click here for more information: siu.on.ca/en/apc.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