News Release
Man Suffered Injury Prior to Police Arrest; SIU Discontinues North York Investigation
Case Number: 25-TCI-218
The Deputy Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Stacey O’Brien, has terminated an investigation into the serious injury suffered by a 41-year-old man in May in North York.
In the early morning of May 28, 2025, Toronto Police Service officers were dispatched to a residence in the area of Islington Avenue and Finch Avenue West for an unknown trouble call. Officers attempted to arrest a man. During the arrest, the man was non-compliant and refused to stand when advised he was under arrest. The officers each grabbed one of the man’s hands to lift him to his feet and he resisted, advising that his finger was broken. The man continued to resist and was taken to the ground and handcuffed behind his back. He was transported to hospital where he was diagnosed with fractures of the right hand.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, including the review of witness statements and video footage that captured the incident in part, Deputy Director O’Brien was satisfied the investigation should be discontinued. The evidence established that the man’s hand was already injured prior to his interaction with police. It was apparent that he alone was responsible for his injury. Accordingly, there being nothing to investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of any police officer was concerned, the file has been closed.
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.
Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES