News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Man’s Broken Arm in Toronto
Case Number: 23-TCI-254
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe a Toronto Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the serious injury of a 25-year-old man in July.
On July 4, 2023, officers were called about a break and enter in progress at a business on Willowdale Avenue. The man fled the scene in a van, falling out of a rear door and took off on foot. The officer caught up to the man, pulled him down to the ground and handcuffed him. The man was taken to hospital and diagnosed with a broken right arm. The investigation found it unclear when precisely the man broke his arm; however, Director Martino found it more likely that the injury was incurred when the man fell from the van onto the roadway than when he was grounded by the officer.
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
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Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES