News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Chinguacousy Park Arrest
Case Number: 23-OCI-055
In the evening of February 24, 2023, a family member contacted police to report concerns about the well-being of a 38-year-old man. Peel Regional Police officers were dispatched, and they located the man on a pathway in Chinguacousy Park. When the man finally removed his hands from his pockets at the request of an officer, he was holding a knife. Two officers discharged their conducted energy weapons at the man. Officers then approached the man on the ground and removed the knife from his possession and arrested him. At hospital, the man was diagnosed with a fracture to the base of his skull. 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 arrest and injury. 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