News Release
No Charges in Toronto Man’s Death
Case Number: 21-TCD-095
Other News Releases Related to Case 21-TCD-095
The province’s Special Investigations Unit has found no grounds to charge a Toronto Police Service (TPS) officer in connection with a 37-year-old man’s death hospital in March 2021.
At approximately 3:15 p.m. on March 25, 2021, the TPS was asked to assist Toronto paramedics with a patient in the area of Laird Drive and Industrial Street in East York.
Upon arrival, an officer restrained the man and accompanied the paramedics to hospital.
En route to the hospital, the man lapsed into respiratory distress. The man was subsequently pronounced deceased in hospital. The cause of death remains unknown at this time.
Director Joseph Martino found no basis for criminal charges in this case, concluding that the responding officer comported herself with due care and regard for the health and wellbeing of the man. As a result, the file is closed.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_report_details.php?drid=1463
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.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES