News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Durham Officer’s Firing of Anti-Riot Weapon Enfield at Man in Uxbridge
Case Number: 23-OFP-076
Other News Releases Related to Case 23-OFP-076
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe a Durham Regional Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with shooting an Anti-Riot Weapon Enfield (ARWEN) and breaking the right hand of a 40-year-old man.
On March 9, 2023, the Tactical Support Unit team was sent to a residence in Uxbridge after receiving a call from a woman concerned about her son who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and was having a psychotic episode. The man approached officers with a knife when an officer struck the man with two ARWEN rounds. The second shot struck his right hand, dislodging the knife. Two other officers discharged their conducted energy weapons at the man, he fell to the floor and he was handcuffed. He was taken to hospital and diagnosed with a broken right hand.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):
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