News Release
No Charges Against Ottawa Police Officer in Death of Man
Case Number: 21-OCD-221
Other News Releases Related to Case 21-OCD-221
On July 15, 2021, officers went to the man’s home on Woodroffe Avenue as he had a warrant for his arrest. From inside the home the man indicated he would accompany the officer, but would need some time to get dressed first. Several minutes later, and after one of the officers observed a noose and a step ladder through a window, the officers forced their way in. They located the man on a couch in a second-floor living room with a clear plastic bag wrapped around his head secured with tape around his neck. An officer ripped the bag off, with the man appearing to be without vital signs.
Officers administered first aid until paramedics arrived and took the man to hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
Director Martino found no reasonable grounds to believe that the subject official transgressed the limits of care prescribed by the criminal law in his brief interaction with the man. Accordingly, the file has been closed.
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
Lisez ce communiqué en français.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES