News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation in Sault Ste. Marie
Case Number: 08-OCI-211
Other News Releases Related to Case 08-OCI-211
"All the information gathered by SIU investigators, including the complainant's own statement to them, indicated that he was responsible for his own fall, and that the subject officers had no involvement in the incident," said SIU Director, Ian Scott.
On Sunday October 5, 2008 at approximately 3:15 p.m., officers went to an apartment on Wellington Street East to arrest a man on a warrant in connection with an alleged domestic assault. During the investigation, an officer at the rear of the building found the wanted man on the ground below a third-floor window. The 20-year-old man sustained serious injuries including fractures to a vertebra and to his left heel and ankle.
The SIU investigation confirmed that officers were outside the apartment waiting to be let in when the man fell 25 feet to the gravel driveway below.
As part of its investigation, the SIU interviewed five police officers and three civilian witnesses. SIU investigators reviewed police documents including occurrence and arrest reports, and communication tapes.
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