News Release

No Charges to Issue in Relation to Toronto Arrest

Case Number: 23-TCI-429   

Mississauga, ON (16 February, 2024) ---
In the evening of October 21, 2023, Toronto Police Service (TPS) officers were dispatched to a Toronto Community Housing (TCH) building to assist a TCH officer and a provincial offenses officer who had arrested a 33-year-old man. When the man continued to resist, and then kicked back with a leg, one of the TPS officers pulled the man down, his right side striking the ground. The man was transported to hospital where he was reportedly diagnosed with a broken nose and fractured right jaw.  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 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.

Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES