News Release
No Criminal Wrongdoing Found in Relation to Man’s Death in Tay Township
Case Number: 20-PCD-113
Other News Releases Related to Case 20-PCD-113
In the evening of May 20, 2020, a 77-year-old man passed away, the result of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. As Ontario Provincial Police officers had responded to his Tay Township residence and were present when the gunshot went off, the SIU was notified and commenced 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