News Release
No Charges to Issue in Relation to Injury Sustained by Man During Altercation with Police at Toronto Hospital
Case Number: 20-TCI-344
On December 11, 2020, Toronto Police Service officers were dispatched to an address in Toronto for a man who called 911 to report that he was despondent and suicidal. Concerned for his safety, the officers apprehended the 35-year-old man under the Mental Health Act so that he could be detained and taken to hospital for psychiatric assessment. When the man attempted to leave the hospital, the officers took hold of him and an altercation ensued. He was eventually subdued, restrained and administered a sedative by a nurse. The man was later diagnosed with a fracture to his right leg. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to believe that an officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s injury.
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