News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Custody Injury in Thunder Bay
Case Number: 08-OCI-064
Other News Releases Related to Case 08-OCI-064
In arriving at his decision, SIU Director James Cornish concluded: “The evidence clearly shows that the officers involved attended a call to assist the family of an unstable man armed with a knife. By the time the two officers attended, the young man had already inflicted some injury on himself. While trying to convince him to surrender the knife, without warning he plunged it into his neck, and appeared to be attempting to do so again when the officers moved in to disarm him. They used their batons to keep the man from continuing to stab himself.â€Â
Emergency first aid provided by both the police and EMS personnel saved the man’s life.
“The actions of the officers quite likely prevented an even greater tragedy from occurring,â€Â added Mr. Cornish.
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