SIU Discontinues Markham Investigation
Case Number:
19-OCI-172
Mississauga, ON (20 August, 2019) ---
The Interim Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the serious injury sustained by a 35-year-old man last month in Markham after he fled from police officers.
At approximately 6 a.m. on July 24, 2019, the man was a resident in a home in Markham when York Regional Police officers entered to execute a search warrant. The man fled from the home through the rear door and at one point scaled and jumped from a fence. The man continued and made his way to a location in Toronto. Later that day, the man was arrested and taken to hospital where he was eventually diagnosed with a fractured left foot.
Interim Director Martino said, “It is apparent based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries that the man suffered his injury during his flight from the police, more specifically, as he vaulted a fence fleeing the residence, at a time when no police officers were present. On this record, I am satisfied that there is patently nothing to investigate as far as any police officer’s potential criminal liability is concerned in connection with the man’s self-inflicted injury. Accordingly, the investigation is hereby discontinued and the file closed.”
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
Lisez ce communiqué en français.
