News Release
No Officers Present During Man’s Fall from Ottawa Apartment Balcony; SIU Investigation Terminated
Case Number: 21-OCI-307
Other News Releases Related to Case 21-OCI-307
SIU Investigating Critical Injuries Suffered by Man in Ottawa
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding a 40-year-old man’s fall from the 8th floor of an apartment building on September 15, 2021, in Ottawa.
On this date, a 911 call had come in regarding an assault at an apartment complex on Kilborn Place. Ottawa Police Service officers were dispatched and they made their way to an apartment unit on the 8th floor. Nobody was inside the unit. A short time later, while examining the perimeter of the building, an officer located a man on the ground with severe injuries. He had fallen from the balcony of the unit the officers had earlier investigated. The man was transported to hospital where he was treated for fractures to both his legs along with a subdural hematoma.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, Director Martino determined that police officers were not present in the apartment when the man fell and were in no way responsible for his injuries. On this record, it was plain and obvious that the man’s injuries were in no way connected to the conduct of any police officer. The file has been closed.
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.
Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES