News Release
Man Did Not Suffer Serious Injury During Arrest; SIU Discontinues Etobicoke Investigation
Case Number: 23-TCI-039
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the arrest of a 47-year-old man in February in Etobicoke.
In the evening of February 8, 2023, Toronto Police Service officers were called to an address on Horner Avenue after a tenant of the building reported that a man was threatening to kill people. Officers encountered the person of interest outside of the building and attempted to take him into custody. Following a struggle, the man was handcuffed. He was subsequently taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with what was possibly an acute facture of the right elbow. In a subsequent visit to hospital, however, it was determined that the man had not, in fact, suffered any acute fractures.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, including a review of the man’s medical records, Director Martino was satisfied that the investigation should be discontinued. On this record, as it was apparent that the man did not suffer any ‘serious injury’ within the terms of the SIU mandate during his encounter with the police, the SIU was without statutory jurisdiction to investigate the incident. As such, the file has been closed.
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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Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES