News Release

In the evening of August 6, 2025, the parents of a 47-year-old man called police to report that their son was behaving erratically and causing them concern for their safety. Officers attended the Brampton residence, arrested the man without incident and took him to the hospital for psychiatric assessment. Several hours later, while alone in an examination room in the emergency department of the hospital, the man began to act out. He repeatedly struck his head against a wall and, exiting the room momentarily, assaulted a security officer. Security and police personnel entered the room and attempted to subdue the man. His arms were eventually controlled behind the back and handcuffed. Moments later, the man stopped breathing. He was lifted to his feet and placed on a bed where CPR was initiated. Medical staff entered the room and continued emergency medical treatment. The man was diagnosed with an anoxic brain injury, the result of positional asphyxia during his arrest and a resulting cardiac arrest. 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 man’s arrest and injuries.

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