News Release

Evidence Indicates Deaths of Father and Son in Kawartha Lakes a Result of Police Gunfire

Case Number: 20-PFD-324   

Mississauga, ON (11 February, 2021) ---
Upon receipt and review of additional forensic evidence in this case, including the results of the postmortem examination performed on a child, and reports prepared by the Centre of Forensic Sciences of analyses conducted with respect to bloodstains in the pickup truck, the trajectory of shots that struck the truck, and firearms, cartridge cases and projectiles, the SIU can today confirm that the  child’s death on November 26, 2020 in Kawartha Lakes was the result of being shot by police. 

On that date, the one-year-old boy died in the course of an interaction between the boy’s 33-year-old father and Ontario Provincial Police officers. The father – who was shot by police – succumbed to his injuries in hospital. 

The SIU’s investigation is ongoing.

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

Lisez ce communiqué en français.