News Release
SIU Investigates Death in Nipissing
Case Number: 07-PCD-012
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) notified the SIU that on January 11, 2007, they responded to a call from the Anishinabek Police Service about a barricaded man, believed to be armed, inside a home in Garden Village. OPP officers, including those from the Tactical Response Unit, responded to the call and secured a perimeter around the home. At approximately 5:00 a.m. the following morning, officers entered the home and found the man suffering from what appeared to be a fatal gunshot wound.
A post mortem examination for the man is scheduled for tomorrow. His identity is not being released at this time.
SIU investigators are probing the nature and extent of the OPP officers' involvement in the circumstances surrounding the man's death. The investigation is ongoing.
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