News Release
No Criminal Charges to Issue in Relation to Arrest of Man in Sioux Lookout
Case Number: 24-PCI-208
In the evening of May 15, 2024, Ontario Provincial Police officers were on patrol in Sioux Lookout when their attention was drawn to a fight between two males in Centennial Park. The officers approached to investigate. One of the males provided a false name and was told he was being detained for obstruction. As an officer moved to handcuff the 19-year-old male, he fled. Following a brief struggle, the male was handcuffed behind the back. At hospital, he was diagnosed with a broken right elbow. 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 man’s arrest and injury.
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