News Release
SIU Terminates Aurora Investigation; Man’s Injury Caused While Scaling Fences to Evade Police
Case Number: 22-OCI-184
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the serious injuries suffered earlier this month by a 22-year-old man in Aurora.
In the early morning of July 17, 2022, the man’s family contacted York Regional Police to express concern about the man’s well-being. He had left his home in Aurora feeling anxious. Police personnel and a helicopter were deployed to assist in the search. When the man became aware of the police presence around him, he attempted to evade discovery by running across the backyards of homes and scaling fences as he did so. As he came off one such fence, his left foot caught on the chain link fence and he tumbled onto the ground. Shortly thereafter, the man gave himself over to police. He was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with fractures to his left arm and wrist.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, Director Martino was satisfied the investigation should be discontinued at this time. It was plain and obvious that the man’s injury was in no way the result of any criminal conduct on the part of the police. Accordingly, there being nothing to investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of any police officer was concerned, 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