News Release

SIU Appealing for Witnesses to Man’s Arrest in St. Catharines; Man Pronounced Deceased Days Later

Case Number: 23-OCD-166   

Mississauga, ON (8 May, 2023) ---
The province’s Special Investigations Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a 57-year-old man this weekend in St. Catharines.

Preliminary information suggests the following:
  • On May 3, 2023, Niagara Regional Police Service officers attended a home in the area of Pelham Road and Powerview Avenue to investigate a domestic incident.
  • Officers asked a man to leave the home. 
  • When the man began causing a disturbance in the front yard, officers attempted to arrest him. A struggle ensued, and the man was handcuffed. 
  • Shortly after, the man went unconscious. Officers administered first aid to the man until paramedics arrived and transported the man to hospital.  
  • On May 7, 2023, the man was pronounced deceased in hospital.

Three investigators and one forensic investigator have been assigned to the case. 

The SIU is urging anyone who may have information about this investigation, including video or photos, to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529 or online at: https://siu.on.ca/en/appeals.php

If you or someone you know is an affected person in need of support, please call the Affected Persons Program General Referral Line at 1-877-641-1897 or click here for more information: siu.on.ca/en/apc.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.

Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES