News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Discharge of Firearm at Man in Norwich
Case Number: 23-PFP-105
Other News Releases Related to Case 23-PFP-105
SIU Investigating After OPP Officer Shot ARWEN at Man in Norwich
In the afternoon of April 10, 2023, after a report that a 44-year-old man was intending to shoot himself, Ontario Provincial Police officers responded to a residence in Norwich. Officers set up containment around the address and a crisis negotiator was enlisted to attempt to resolve the situation peacefully. As the standoff continued into April 11, 2023, the police decided on a more proactive posture after learning that the man had inflicted cuts to his neck and hands. A team entered the home and encountered the man in the kitchen. An officer ordered the man to drop the knife that he was holding, and then fired a single-round from his Anti-riot Weapon ENfield (ARWEN). The man was struck, he dropped the knife and was then bit in the shoulder by a police service dog. After being arrested, the man was taken to hospital for treatment. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that an 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