News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Waterloo Officer Who Shot ARWEN at Man in Cambridge
Case Number: 21-OFP-416
Other News Releases Related to Case 21-OFP-416
SIU Investigating After Waterloo Police Officer Discharged ARWEN at Man in Cambridge
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that a Waterloo Regional Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with shooting an Anti-Riot Weapon Enfield (ARWEN) at a 38-year-old man in the course of his arrest last December.
On December 10, 2021, officers responded to an apartment in the area of Eagle Street North and Speedsville Road in Cambridge following reports that the man had attempted to forcibly enter a nearby apartment and had discharged a fire extinguisher. During the course of the man’s arrest, an officer shot the man with an ARWEN projectile on the left leg.
Director Martino concluded that the use of force was legally justified to aid in his arrest. The officers had cause to be concerned that the man was armed with a gun. 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.
Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES