News Release
No Charges to Issue Against Thunder Bay Officer in Relation to Woman’s Self-Inflicted Wounds
Case Number: 24-OCI-166
Other News Releases Related to Case 24-OCI-166
In the morning of April 14, 2024, a 33-year-old woman was in the throes of a drug-induced psychotic episode. She was delusional, highly agitated and holding a knife. A mental health team, consisting of a mental health professional and officers with the Thunder Bay Police Service, were dispatched to the address. Attempts were made to calm down the woman, but this was to no avail. Within a minute of their arrival, the woman stabbed herself in the neck and slumped to the floor. Officers rendered emergency first-aid. The woman was transported to hospital and treated for serious stab wounds. 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 woman’s 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