News Release
SIU Finds Shooting of Man by Toronto Police Service Officer Justified
Case Number: 23-TFI-288
Other News Releases Related to Case 23-TFI-288
SIU Investigating After Toronto Police Officer Shot Man in Etobicoke
On July 25, 2023, undercover Toronto Police Service officers were on the lookout for a 44-year-old man who was wanted in relation to a murder that had been committed the day before. When the man was seen walking towards a vehicle, a takedown was called. The man discharged his handgun multiple times at an officer, and he then fled on foot towards Kingsview Boulevard. Aware of the man’s general location, police established a perimeter and called in a dog handler to help locate the man. Shortly after the dog entered some brush in one of the rear yards, the man fired his weapon and the dog was fatally struck. An officer returned fire and the man sustained a gunshot wound to his right buttock. The man was arrested. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer committed a criminal offence in connection with shooting.
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.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES