News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Mississauga Arrest of Woman who was Armed with Knife
Case Number: 23-OCI-413
In the afternoon of October 7, 2023, Peel Regional Police officers were dispatched to an area in Mississauga to investigate a knife attack. Shortly after officers arrived at the scene, the 45-year-old female person of interest walked towards the officers with a knife in her hand. The officers implored the woman to drop her knife, but this was to no avail. One of the officers fired his conducted energy weapon (CEW), but this had no effect on the woman. When the woman eventually started walking away from the officers, another officer fired his CEW at the woman, resulting in her falling backwards and striking her head on the pavement. The woman was arrested and later taken to hospital where she was diagnosed with a fractured left wrist and a brain bleed. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that any officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the woman’s arrest and injuries.
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