News Release

SIU Concludes Investigation into Man Seriously Injured While Fleeing Halton Police on Bicycle in Oakville

Case Number: 23-OCI-467   

Mississauga, ON (8 March, 2024) ---
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe a Halton Regional Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the arrest of a 39-year-old man in Oakville. On November 10, 2023, the officer attempted to arrest the man on charges of break and enter. 

The man didn’t listen to police orders and was rummaging through a bag. The officer discharged a Conducted Energy Weapon (CEW) at the man before he fled on a bicycle. As he pedaled away, the officer fired the CEW again. His body locked-up and he fell, striking his head on the pavement. The officer deployed his CEW again, and handcuffed the man. Paramedics took the man to hospital where he was diagnosed with a fractured skull and hematoma.
  
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

Lisez ce communiqué en français.

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