News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Discharge of ARWEN by Officer in Omemee
Case Number: 22-PFP-173
Other News Releases Related to Case 22-PFP-173
SIU Investigating After Police Officer Discharges ARWEN in Omemee
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the use of his ARWEN against a 19-year-old male in July in Omemee.
In the early morning hours of July 5, 2022, OPP officers were dispatched to a residence in Omemee following a call to police about a stabbing and break and enter. Three men had left the apartment with property and were seen travelling north towards a church. Officers located a machete and an air gun on the grounds of the church. Additional weapons were located as officers searched the area for the suspects. While searching, officers saw a group of men. The men fled. An officer pursued one of the individuals into the backyard of a residence, and at some point, fired his Anti-Riot Weapon Enfield at the man three times. Two of the shots hit the man. Shortly after this volley of shots, the man turned to face the officer, advanced a short distance, and was shot in the abdomen by another ARWEN round fired by the officer. The man was taken into custody without further incident. He had not suffered any serious injuries.
Director Martino was unable to reasonably conclude that the officer comported himself other than lawfully in his dealings with the man. There was no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case, and the file has been closed.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.
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