News Release

SIU Concludes Investigation in the Shooting Death of a Toronto Youth

Case Number: 07-TFD-219   

TORONTO (12 June, 2008) --- The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has concluded that there are no reasonable grounds to believe that a Toronto Police Service officer committed any criminal offence in connection with the shooting death of 18-year-old Alwy Al Nadhir last October 31, 2007.

The youth died during a confrontation with Toronto Police Service officers who interrupted an armed robbery in progress in Riverdale Park. Officers had been assigned to that area in anticipation of an increase in robberies on Halloween night by teenagers on teenagers; in fact, by the time this incident occurred, four robberies had already been reported to police. In this case, two officers, with their service pistols drawn, surprised Mr. Al Nadhir and another man, the latter holding a gun. Both men, dressed in black and wearing masks, were robbing two other men of their cell phones, jewellery and other valuables. Just moments earlier, the officers had encountered another male who told them he had just been robbed by the same two suspects. The police officers ordered the suspects to lie on the ground; one of them, Mr. Al Nadhir refused and fled on foot, but was blocked by one of the officers who continued to carry his firearm.

"While struggling to hold Mr. Al Nadhir with his left hand, the officer tried to use his service pistol to strike him in order to stop Mr. Nadhir from struggling," said SIU Director, James Cornish. "Mr. Al Nadhir did not stop. Indeed, he grabbed the gun and then the struggle became one for control of the officer's gun. The officer could not pull the gun away from Mr. Al Nadhir and feared that he was going to lose control of it completely."

The SIU investigation established that the officer fired one shot after failing to wrestle control of his gun away from Mr. Al Nadhir. Investigators found a black neoprene facemask around Mr. Al Nadhir's neck. Also recovered at the robbery scene was a pellet gun, carried by Mr. Al Nadhir's associate, resembling a 9 mm. semi-automatic pistol.

Mr. Cornish concluded: "This was a traumatic, dynamic and quickly evolving incident that occurred without warning, escalated quickly and happened at night.

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
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES