News Release
No Charges to Issue in Relation to Man’s Arrest in Thunder Bay
Case Number: 21-OCI-139
The province’s Special Investigations Unit has found no reasonable grounds to charge a Thunder Bay Police Service officer after a man was seriously injured during an arrest in April 2021.
On April 29 at about noon, the officer attempted to make an arrest of a man who had outstanding warrants. The man fled on foot, entering a residence on Marks Street North and out onto a second-floor balcony before jumping down. He was eventually located and arrested by the officer.
The man was transported to hospital where he was diagnosed with a broken left foot and an injured left finger.
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s arrest and serious injury.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):
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
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SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES