News Release

SIU Investigating Death of Man, Serious Injury of Bystander in Exchange of Gunfire Involving OPP Officers in Timiskaming District

Case Number: 24-PFD-109   

Mississauga, ON (8 March, 2024) ---
The province’s Special Investigations Unit is investigating the death of a 26-year-old man and the serious injury suffered by a 76-year-old male bystander following an exchange of gunfire involving multiple Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers in northeastern Ontario last night. 

Preliminary information suggests the following:
  • At approximately 5 p.m. on March 7, OPP officers in Kirkland Lake conducted a traffic stop involving two men and attempted to arrest them for drug-related offences. The driver fled.
  • Police attempted to stop the fleeing vehicle in the area of Highway 11 and Portage Bay Road, resulting in an exchange of gunfire.
  • One of the occupants from the fleeing vehicle was located deceased.
  • The other occupant of the vehicle fled the scene on foot. He was located later by police and arrested. The man was not injured.
  • A male bystander, a resident of the area who was not involved, was seriously injured and remains in hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Three investigators and two forensic investigators have been assigned to the case. The post-mortem is scheduled for Monday. 

The SIU is urging anyone who may have information about this investigation, including video or photos, to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529 or online at: https://siu.on.ca/en/appeals.php

If you or someone you know is an affected person in need of support, please call the Affected Persons Program General Referral Line at 1-877-641-1897 or click here for more information: siu.on.ca/en/apc.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