News Release

In the afternoon of January 1, 2023, the Hamilton Police Service received a 911 call from a 57-year-old man asking that traffic be stopped below the King Street East bridge over Kenilworth Avenue South, as he intended to jump from the bridge to end his life. Once officers arrived on scene, they attempted to speak with the man. Meanwhile, the Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team (MCRRT) unit was asked to attend at the scene to take carriage of the matter. While officers encourage the man not to jump, and while the MCRRT was en route, the man sat on the ledge and, after a short period, pushed himself off the bridge. The man was transported to hospital where he was diagnosed with fractures of the right femur, right pelvis bone and left hip bone, and a tear to the bladder. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that any officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s fall and injuries. 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.