News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Woman’s Self-Inflicted Death in Collingwood
Case Number: 23-PCD-523
Other News Releases Related to Case 23-PCD-523
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe an Ontario Provincial Police officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the self-inflicted death of a 39-year-old woman in December 2023.
In the early morning of December 22, 2023, Ontario Provincial Police officers were called to a home in Collingwood for a report of a break and enter in progress. The woman told officers not to enter the home before the officers, through a window, saw the woman cut her throat with a knife. Officers breached the door and entered. They tried to help the woman until an ambulance arrived and paramedics assisted. The woman was pronounced deceased at the scene.
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