News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Man’s Arrest While Fleeing Officers in Toronto
Case Number: 25-TCI-026
The Special Investigations Unit found no reasonable grounds to believe a Toronto Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the fractured nose suffered by a 37-year-old man. On January 22, 2025, police pursued a fleeing Kia that matched the description of the vehicle seen leaving the scene of a robbery on Bloor Street West and Kipling Avenue. The man in the passenger seat matched the description of the male robber. The Kia was blocked by a police cruiser on Islington Avenue, and the man attempted to run away. He was grabbed by officers, forced to the ground and handcuffed.
Director Joseph Martino was satisfied that only lawful force was brought to bear in effecting the man’s arrest. In the circumstances, it made sense to ground the man as doing so would position the officers to better manage any resistance from the man while mitigating the risk of him accessing a weapon on his person. While it remained unclear if the man’s broken nose was incurred in the takedown or pre-existed his arrest, there were no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer comported himself other than within the limits of the criminal law.
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 (municipal, regional and provincial police officers, police officers with the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, 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