News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Man’s Hand Broken During Toronto Arrest
Case Number: 24-TCI-179
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe a Toronto Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the serious injury of a 29-year-old man. On April 22, 2024, police were called about a man who assaulted another man on a Toronto Transit Commission bus near Victoria Park Avenue and Eglinton Avenue East.
Officers stopped the bus and the man believed involved in the assault exited the bus. He was told to stop and the man confronted an officer. The officer fired his conducted energy weapon (CEW) at the man. He started to walk away and the officer fired his CEW again. He fell face first and fractured his left hand. During his arrest, the man was struck with several more CEW discharges. In the circumstances, Director Martino found the use of the CEW fell within the latitude conferred on officers by the law.
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