News Release
No Charges for Toronto Police Officer in Shooting Death of Man Who Stabbed Another Officer
Case Number: 21-TFD-161
Other News Releases Related to Case 21-TFD-161
SIU Investigating after Police Officer Fatally Shoots Man in Toronto
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that a Toronto Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the shooting death of a man who had stabbed an officer last May.
On May 22, 2021, the Toronto Police Service were called to a condo at 1815 Yonge Street for a man in mental distress. An officer discharged his conducted energy weapon at the man, who was armed with a knife, with no success. The man repeatedly stabbed another officer, seriously injuring him. During the melee, an officer discharged his firearm in the man’s back. The man was taken to hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
Director Martino said that the officer’s use of lethal force in this circumstance was justified. Therefore, there was no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case 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=1559
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