News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Man’s Facial Fractures in Toronto Arrest
Case Number: 25-TCI-298
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe a Toronto Police Service (TPS) officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the facial fractures suffered by a 50-year-old man during his arrest in July. The man was wanted in the United States in a multi-million-dollar cryptocurrency fraud investigation.
On July 31, 2025, officers with the TPS Fugitive Squad were in the area of Bathurst Street and St. Clair Avenue West to execute an extradition warrant on the man. The man struggled and the officer took the man to the ground. There was an exchange of strikes while they wrestled on the ground. Another officer arrived and assisted in handcuffing the man.
While Director Martino accepted that the man’s injuries were incurred in the altercation that marked his arrest, there were no reasonable grounds to believe they were attributable to unlawful conduct on the part of the arresting officers.
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