News Release

SIU Investigating Death of Man in Ottawa

Case Number: 21-OCD-023   

Other News Releases Related to Case 21-OCD-023

SIU Concludes Investigation into Ottawa Officers After Death of Man

Mississauga, ON (20 January, 2021) ---
The province’s Special Investigations Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a 49-year-old man in Ottawa last night.

Preliminary information suggests the following:
  • At approximately 4:45 p.m. on January 19, 2021, Ottawa Police Service officers executed a drug warrant at a home on Carling Avenue. 
  • A man was arrested and transported to the police station where he was lodged in a cell.
  • At approximately 9:30 p.m., the man was found to be unresponsive and Emergency Medical Services was called. The man then went vital signs absent and was transported to hospital.
  • Last night at 10:04 p.m., the man passed away in hospital. 

Two investigators and one forensic investigator have been assigned to the case. 

The post-mortem is scheduled to take place today.

The SIU is urging anyone who may have information about this investigation to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529. The Unit is also urging anyone who may have any video evidence related to this incident to upload that video through the SIU website.

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

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