News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation in Toronto
Case Number: 18-TCI-093
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into the injury sustained by a 25-year-old man in Toronto in March of 2018.
At approximately 8 p.m. on March 29, 2018, Toronto Police Service officers attended an apartment building in the area of Weston Road and Sheppard Avenue West. In the stairwell of the apartment building, officers located three males. The males fled, but officers managed to apprehend the 25-year-old. The man was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with a fractured fibula. On two occasions, SIU investigators attempted to obtain a statement from the man, but each time he refused to speak. Investigators also reached out to the man’s counsel, but the counsel did not return the call.
Director Loparco said, “As the man refused to participate in the SIU’s investigation, I have terminated the investigation into this incident.”
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (police officers as well as 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