News Release

News Release

SIU Concludes Scarborough Investigation into Discharge of Less-Lethal Shotgun

Case Number: 25-TFP-139   

Other News Releases Related to Case 25-TFP-139

SIU Investigating After Officer Fired Less-Lethal Shotgun at Man in Scarborough

Mississauga, ON (6 August, 2025) ---
In the evening of April 11, 2025, an individual called 911 to report that a 40-year-old man, who lived with him, was threatening self-harm with a knife. Officers with the Toronto Police Service and a mental health professional attended the apartment unit located in the area of Neilson Road and Military Trail. Aware that officers had entered the unit, the man walked towards the balcony and stepped behind an artificial tree just in front of the balcony door. He was holding a knife. An officer directed the man to drop the knife and then fired a round from her less-lethal shotgun. She fired two more rounds, each preceded by similar direction that the man drop the knife.  After the officer fired a fourth round, the man dropped the knife. The man was handcuffed and transported to hospital. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the shooting.
     
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.

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