News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation as Fall From Balcony in Scarborough not the Result of Police Actions
Case Number: 18-TCI-039
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation involving the Toronto Police Service (TPS) in relation to the injuries sustained last month by a 22-year-old man.
At approximately 4:30 p.m. on February 7, 2018, TPS officers attended an apartment building in the area of Markham Road and Kingston Road in Scarborough after a 911 call was received regarding a domestic incident. Upon arrival, police attempted to speak with a man who had barricaded himself in his bedroom. A short time later – while police were still outside the bedroom – the man exited through his bedroom window, and onto the balcony. While climbing over the balcony railing, he slipped and fell to the ground below. He was transported to hospital by ambulance for treatment of a head injury.
Director Loparco said, “The man’s injuries were the result of his own misadventure and not the result of any actions by police officers. Accordingly, this investigation has been terminated.”
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