News Release
No Charges to Issue After Police Fatally Shot Man in Collingwood Standoff
Case Number: 20-PFD-225
Other News Releases Related to Case 20-PFD-225
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the shooting death of a man in Collingwood in September 2020.
At 12:30 p.m., on September 9, 2020, OPP officers responded to a home on Third Street in Collingwood following a report of a man in distress who had barricaded himself inside a residence. Shortly after police arrived, the man exited the residence with a shotgun. An officer repeatedly instructed the man to drop the gun and deployed a conducted energy weapon with no success. The man then pointed the shotgun in the officer’s direction before the officer discharged his firearm at the man. The officer discharged 11 rounds, eight of which struck the man.
Officers administered first aid before paramedics took over. The man was transported to hospital and pronounced deceased at 1:26 p.m.
Director Martino concluded that the officer acted to thwart a threat of imminent death to himself and others. Director Martino also found that the officer’s use of force was reasonable in the circumstances as indications were the man was on his feet with a shotgun in hand until the final shot was discharged. In conclusion, there was no basis for proceeding with criminal charges and the file has been closed.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://siu.on.ca/en/directors_report_details.php?drid=1522
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