News Release

SIU Concludes Investigation into Injury in Ottawa

Case Number: 10-OCI-198   

Other News Releases Related to Case 10-OCI-198

SIU Probes Incident in Ottawa

Mississauga (29 October, 2010) --- The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Ian Scott, has concluded that there are no reasonable grounds to charge an Ottawa Police Service (OPS) police officer with a criminal offence in relation to the injuries sustained by a man in Ottawa in September.  

On Saturday September 18, 2010 the OPS contacted the SIU regarding injuries suffered by 24-year-old Warren John.  They reported that Mr. John had suffered head injuries after he fell to the ground after climbing over a fence.  Mr. John had been admitted to Ottawa Civic Hospital.

The SIU dispatched four investigators and one forensic investigator to Ottawa to conduct an investigation.  One officer was designated as a subject officer and seven officers were designated as witness officers.

The SIU investigation determined that in the early hours of September 18, the subject officer spoke to Mr. John on Henderson Avenue.  Shortly thereafter, Mr. John scaled a fence covered by vines.  On the other side of the fence was a 4.5 meter drop to the bottom of a parking garage entrance.  Mr. John fell, landing on a concrete surface and sustaining severe head trauma as a result.    

Director Scott concluded, “In my view, there are no reasonable grounds to believe that the subject officer committed a criminal offence in relation to the injuries sustained by the complainant, Mr. John, on September 17, 2010.  There is no nexus between the complainant’s injuries and any acts of the subject officer and no criminal liability may attach.”

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