News Release
No Charges to Issue in Relation to Man’s Death in Alfred
Case Number: 20-PCD-035
Other News Releases Related to Case 20-PCD-035
On February 11, 2020, a sheriff attended a home in Alfred to enforce an eviction notice. When the 50-year-old homeowner indicated he had no intention of leaving the home, the sheriff contacted the Ontario Provincial Police for assistance. When an officer spoke with the man, the man explained he had several firearms in the house. As a result, a decision was made to set up containment around the property. At about 12:30 p.m., the man was seen opening a front window and closing the blinds to the same window. Within minutes, flames were seen within the home and smoke was billowing from the window. The man was discovered deceased in the basement of the home. He had sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to believe that any officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s death.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.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