News Release
No Charges Against Police in Less-Lethal Shotgun Discharge at Man in Toronto
Case Number: 21-TFP-167
Other News Releases Related to Case 21-TFP-167
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 striking a man with a less-lethal shotgun round during an arrest in Toronto last May.
On May 28, 2021, a police officer struck the man – armed with a knife –with a less-lethal round in his apartment. Following that, the man dropped the knife and was arrested.
Director Martino was satisfied that the officer’s use of force was not excessive in the circumstances. Accordingly, 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=1574
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