News Release
SIU Discontinues Investigation into Man Allegedly Seriously Injured in Arrest by Toronto Police Officers
Case Number: 23-TCI-043
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the alleged serious injury suffered by a 30-year-old man during his arrest by Toronto Police Service officers in North York last month.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, on February 9, 2023, officers arrested the man at a jewelry store on Yonge Street near Wedgewood Drive. After he was released from custody, the man went to hospital. He was diagnosed with healing fractures of his right foot that predated his arrest by weeks. As there was no evidence of serious injury, Director Martino said, this left no statutory jurisdiction for the SIU to investigate this case and 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.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES