Communiqué de presse

SIU Terminates Cambridge Investigation as Man’s Injuries Self-Inflicted

Numéro du dossier: 19-OCI-061   

Mississauga, ON (16 avril 2019) ---
The Interim Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into an interaction that occurred last month in Cambridge between Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) officers and a 19-year-old man.

On the morning of March 23, 2019, the man entered the Select Shooting Supplies store in Cambridge. Shortly after a verbal exchange between the man and store owner, the man proceeded to attack the store owner with a knife. WRPS officers responded and attempted to arrest the man in the store, but he was able to break free and avoid apprehension. By the time further officers arrived in the area, located the man in a vacant lot a short distance away and took him into custody, he had already cut his neck and wrists. 

Interim Director Martino said, “It is evident on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries into the circumstance surrounding the man’s injuries, that they were intentionally self-inflicted in a moment of acute mental distress. On this record, it is patent that none of the officers involved in this incident caused or contributed to his injuries in any fashion that could attract criminal liability. Accordingly, the investigation is hereby discontinued and the file closed.”

L'UES est un organisme gouvernemental indépendant qui enquête sur la conduite d'agents (agents de police, agents spéciaux de la Commission des parcs du Niagara et agents de la paix du Service de sécurité de l'Assemblée législative) qui pourrait avoir entraîné un décès, une blessure grave, une agression sexuelle ou la décharge d'une arme à feu contre une personne. Toutes les enquêtes sont menées par des enquêteurs de l'UES qui sont des civils. En vertu de la Loi sur l'Unité des enquêtes spéciales, le directeur de l'UES doit :

  • considérer si un agent a commis une infraction criminelle en lien avec l'incident faisant l'objet de l'enquête;
  • selon le dossier de preuve, faire porter une accusation criminelle contre l'agent, s'il existe des motifs de le faire, ou clôre le dossier sans faire porter d'accusations;
  • rendre compte publiquement des résultats de ses enquêtes.

Read this news release in English.