News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Man Shot by Officer in Cambridge
Case Number: 23-OFI-420
Other News Releases Related to Case 23-OFI-420
SIU Investigating Police-Involved Shooting in Cambridge
Notice of Correction to Director’s Report
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe a Waterloo Regional Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with shooting and seriously injuring a 34-year-old man last October.
On October 15, 2023, officers were called to a residence near Sunnyhill Road and Franklin Boulevard for a report of an attack. When officers arrived, the man grabbed a kitchen knife and approached them. He was told repeatedly to drop the knife. The man exited the home and ran toward officers with the knife. An officer shot at the man six times. The man rose to his feet with the knife still in his hand and was shot at an additional three times. This was followed by a final shot when the man was rising to his feet again. The man suffered multiple gunshot injuries, including to his chest, abdomen and legs.
Director Martino was satisfied that the evidence fell short of reasonably suggesting the gunfire was unwarranted. On each occasion that the officer fired – the first two volleys and the final round – the man presented in a threatening manner with a knife, a weapon capable of inflicting grievous bodily harm or death, and was within, or approaching, striking distance of the officers, he noted.
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.
Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES