News Release

SIU Investigating Death in Thunder Bay Area

Case Number: 11-PCD-210   

Mississauga (13 October, 2011) --- Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is probing the circumstances surrounding the death of a man at Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park yesterday.

At 4:45 p.m. October 12, 2011 the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Thunder Bay Detachment contacted the SIU and advised the following;

• At 4:00 p.m. an officer went to Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park in response to a call from provincial park staff;

• The officer interacted with a male;

• At some point the male went over an embankment and landed at the bottom of a ravine; and

• The male was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two investigators and two forensic investigators from the SIU are in the area to investigate the circumstances of this incident. The identity of the deceased male is not known at this time and efforts are underway to identify him. A post mortem is scheduled for later today in Thunder Bay.

The SIU is asking anyone who may have witnessed this incident or has audio or video recordings relating to it, to contact the lead investigator at 416-622-1957 or 1 800 787 8529 extension 1957.

If you or someone you know is an affected person in need of support, please call the Affected Persons Program General Referral Line at 1-877-641-1897 or click here for more information: siu.on.ca/en/apc.php

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
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES