News Release
Man Died in Home as a Result of Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound; SIU Determines No Basis to Proceed with Charges in North Bay Case
Case Number: 20-OCD-108
Other News Releases Related to Case 20-OCD-108
On May 10, 2020, a 60-year-old man died in his North Bay home as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. As North Bay Police Service officers had responded to the man’s residence to check on his welfare that morning – and were possibly present around the house at the time the man shot himself – the SIU conducted an investigation. 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