News Release
SIU Investigating Fatal Police-involved Shooting Inside Hospital Emergency Room in Cobourg
Case Number: 17-OFD-313
Other News Releases Related to Case 17-OFD-313
The province’s Special Investigations Unit is examining the circumstances surrounding a fatal police-involved shooting that occurred late last evening inside the emergency room in the Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg.
Preliminary information suggests the following occurred:
- Around 11:00 p.m., Cobourg Police Service received a call for reports of gun shots inside the Northumberland Hills Hospital.
- A short time later, two police officers encountered a 70-year-old man inside the emergency room of the hospital.
- There was an interaction and both police officers discharged their firearms.
- The man was struck. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.
- The body of a 76-year-old woman was also located at the scene.
Six investigators and two forensic investigators have been assigned to investigate this incident.
The SIU is urging anyone who may have information about this investigation to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529. The Unit is also urging anyone who may have any video evidence related to this incident to upload that video through the SIU website.
If you or someone you know is an affected person in need of support, please call the Affected Persons Program General Referral Line at 1-877-641-1897 or click here for more information: siu.on.ca/en/apc.php
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (police officers as well as 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