News Release
No Charges Against Toronto Police Officer After Firing Less-Lethal Shotgun at Man with Knife
Case Number: 21-TFP-239
Other News Releases Related to Case 21-TFP-239
SIU Investigating the Discharge of Less-Lethal Firearms at a 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 firing a non-lethal shotgun at a 62-year-old man with a knife last July.
On July 31, 2021, officers went to a building on Wade Avenue after receiving a 911 call about an intoxicated man who had entered the address with a knife. He was threatening residents in the building, prompting additional 911 calls. Officers located the man on the eighth floor, holding a knife in his right hand. He did not drop the knife when directed to do so. An officer fired his less-lethal shotgun at the man, striking him four times. The man did not drop the knife. Another officer fired his Conducted Energy Weapon at the man, causing him to drop to the floor. He was then handcuffed and taken to hospital. The man did not suffer serious injuries.
Director Martino was satisfied the use of force was legally justified in aid of the man’s arrest. 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