News Release

News Release

SIU Appealing for Witnesses in Relation to Interactions with Man who Died near Kenora

Case Number: 18-POD-066   

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Mississauga, ON (15 March, 2018) ---
The province’s Special Investigations Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a 29-year-old man last week in Washagamis Bay, southwest of Kenora.

Preliminary information suggests the following:
  • In the afternoon hours of February 27, 2018, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers with the Kenora detachment arrested a man at a home after receiving a complaint. The man was lodged in a cell and released that same day. The following day, the man was arrested again, this time outside the Kenora Fellowship Centre, located at 208 Water Street. He was lodged in a cell and released several hours later.
  • At approximately 7 a.m. on March 5, 2018, Emergency Medical Services and OPP officers responded to the man’s residence in Washagamis Bay as a result of him being in medical distress.
  • The man was transported to hospital and he was pronounced dead a short time later.

At this time, two investigators and two forensic investigators have been assigned to 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 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

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