News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Self-Inflicted Injury Suffered by Man in Lindsay
Case Number: 21-OCI-398
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that Kawartha Lakes Police Service officers committed a criminal offence in connection with a serious injury suffered by a 29-year-old man last November.
On November 21, 2021, officers went to a home in Lindsay after receiving a 911 call about a man with a knife in distress. Officers saw the man cutting his throat with a knife, and entered the property to direct him to drop the knife. Within seconds of entering the home, an officer discharged a conducted energy weapon at the man causing him to fall to the floor. He was handcuffed and put in an ambulance.
Director Martino found no reasonable grounds to believe that any of the involved officers comported themselves unlawfully in the incident. 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