News Release

On March 23, 2025, a woman contacted police to report that a man she was residing with was in possession of cocaine and an illegal firearm. Officers were dispatched to the Barrie address. Tactical Support Unit officers approached the front door and used a battering ram to force it open. A distraction device was deployed into the residence and officers entered through the doorway into the foyer. The man, asleep at the time, awoke to the sounds of the officers making entry into the home. At the direction of the officers, the man exited his bedroom with his hands up and began to make his way down the stairs. When he reached into the front pocket of his hooded sweatshirt, officers were concerned the man was reaching for a firearm. They grabbed the man by the right arm and pulled him down. In the process of falling forward, the man suffered a fractured orbital bone when his face struck the barrel of an officer’s C8 rifle. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that an officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the 27-year-old man’s arrest and injury.

Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.