News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Brantford Officer Who Shot ARWEN at Man During Arrest
Case Number: 22-OFP-065
Other News Releases Related to Case 22-OFP-065
SIU Investigating After Brantford Police Officer Discharged ARWEN at Man
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that a Brantford Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with shooting an Anti-riot Weapon Enfield (ARWEN) at a 53-year-old man in March.
On March 4, 2022, officers responded to a residence on Victoria Street in Brantford for a man in distress who had a knife. Officers attempted to apprehend the man under the Mental Health Act. The man refused repeated demands to drop the knife and an officer discharged the ARWEN and struck the man in the stomach. He was taken into custody and was not seriously injured.
Director Martino found no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer involved comported himself other than lawfully in his engagement with the man, leaving no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case. 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