News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Shooting of Man by York Officer in Toronto
Case Number: 25-OFI-282
Other News Releases Related to Case 25-OFI-282
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe a York Regional Police officer committed a criminal offence in connection with an armed man shot and wounded during a stolen vehicle investigation. On July 17, 2025, officers attempted to stop and arrest the driver of a Honda Civic after it was found to have been stolen. After the vehicle was stopped in a rolling block, the man retrieved a gun and pointed it at police. An officer fired at the man. The man, aged 30, suffered gunshot wounds to the left arm and lower left leg. He was arrested and taken to hospital.
Director Martino found the evidence established the officer fired his gun at the man to defend himself from a reasonably apprehended attack. That is what the officer told the SIU in his interview, and his evidence is supported by the prevailing circumstances. Confronted with a subject ignoring orders to desist and pointing a gun at close range in his direction, there was no doubt that the officer acted to protect himself from death or grievous bodily harm when he discharged his weapon. He found evidence that at least one of the shots fired was discharged by the man from inside the Honda.
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.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES