News Release

The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe an Ontario Provincial Police officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the serious injuries suffered by a 21-year-old man in July.

On July 3, 2023, officers were dispatched following reports of a collision on Notre Dame Street in the Town of Lakeshore. The driver had reportedly exited a moving vehicle before it collided with a building. More 911 calls came in about a man trespassing onto properties on and west of West Belle River Road and holding something in his hands, later thought to be a rifle. An officer found the man in a garage at a residence on Diesbourg Boulevard and confronted him with a C8 rifle. The man ran away before turning back and heading towards the officer. She returned to her cruiser. He jabbed at the officer though an open window. The man managed to take control of her weapon and flee. The man discarded the weapon and found a knife which he used to cut himself across the neck and the left side of his torso. He went into the Belle River. Officers found him in the river, encouraged him to return to land and helped him back to shore by throwing him a flotation device. Officers provided emergency first aid and he was taken to hospital where he was treated for lacerations to his neck and abdomen. 

 

Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):