News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Self-Inflicted Death of Toronto Man
Case Number: 21-TCD-374
Other News Releases Related to Case 21-TCD-374
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that a Toronto Police Service committed a criminal offence in connection with the death of a 62-year-old Toronto man last November.
On November 3, 2021, Toronto Police Service officers went to an apartment on Keele Street in North York after a Sheriff’s Office member saw the man with a gun while attempting to serve an eviction notice. While officers were positioned at the front door, the man shot himself in the chest. He was pronounced deceased in hospital.
Director Martino said there was no opportunity to prevent the man from shooting himself. In the brief encounter with officers, he was satisfied that the subject official and other officers involved comported themselves with due care and regard for the man’s welfare.
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