News Release

SIU Investigating Death of Man in Toronto Police Custody

Case Number: 21-TCD-344   

Mississauga, ON (14 October, 2021) ---
The province’s Special Investigations Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a 48-year-old man while in Toronto Police custody.

Preliminary information suggests the following:
  • On October 13, 2021, the man was arrested and was being held in custody at 43 Division pending a bail hearing the following day. 
  • On October 14, 2021, at about 8:17 a.m., the man was found unresponsive and Emergency Medical Services were called. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The SIU has designated eight witness officials and one subject official in this case. Three investigators and one forensic investigator has been assigned to the case. The post-mortem is scheduled for October 15, 2021.

The SIU is urging anyone who may have information about this investigation to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529. 

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.

Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES