News Release

News Release

SIU Concludes Investigation into Woman’s Fall from Balcony in Niagara Falls

Case Number: 26-OCI-247   

Mississauga, ON (11 September, 2026) ---
In the afternoon of May 30, 2026, paramedics and police officers attended an apartment in Niagara Falls to check on the well-being of a 75-year-old woman. The woman refused to open the door to them. When the woman talked of jumping from the balcony, a friend who was in the apartment at the time opened the door to the emergency responders. From the door, an officer observed the woman through the living room on the balcony. He ran towards her and watched as she tipped herself over the balcony railing. He reached for her feet but was too late. The woman landed on the ground below. She was taken to hospital, treated for a broken femur and admitted under the Mental Health Act. 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 woman’s fall.

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



If you or someone you know has been negatively affected by an incident under SIU investigation and would like support, the Affected Persons Program is here to help. You can reach us at 1-877-641-1897. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7, every day of the year.

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