News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Man’s Serious Injuries From Fall After Use of Conducted Energy Weapon in Mississauga Arrest
Case Number: 24-OCI-175
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe a Peel Regional Police officer committed a criminal offence in connection with facial fractures suffered by a 30-year-old man.
On April 22, 2024, officers were called to the Circle K store at Derry Road West and Millcreek Drive. The man was of unsound mind and the officer was proceeding to apprehend the man under the Mental Health Act. The man walked into live traffic. The officer used a conducted energy weapon (CEW) and he fell face first on the ground. The officer handcuffed the man. He was taken to hospital and diagnosed with facial fractures.
Director Martino said officers might have decided on a physical engagement but doing so risked a struggle on the roadway that would jeopardize their lives and the man’s. The use of the CEW, on the other hand, carried the potential of the man’s immediate incapacitation, allowing the officers a safe opportunity to quickly take him into custody. On this record, while Director Martino found it regrettable that the man suffered serious injuries when he fell, he was unable to conclude that the officer acted unreasonably when he fired his CEW.
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