News Release

News Release

No Criminal Charges to Issues in Presumed Death at Niagara Falls

Case Number: 25-OCD-144   

Other News Releases Related to Case 25-OCD-144

SIU Seeking to Identify Man Presumed Deceased in Niagara Falls

Mississauga, ON (8 August, 2025) ---
In the evening of April 15, 2025, the Niagara Parks Police Service (NPPS) was notified that there was a man on the water side of the retaining wall beside the Horseshoe Falls. A police officer arrived on scene and encouraged the man to return to safety. The man was not receptive. At the sight of the officer, the man promptly turned to walk to a solid rock platform. A civilian tried to grab hold of the man from over the retaining wall but was unable to reach. The civilian and officer tracked the man from their side of the retaining wall, and watched as he sat down on the platform and then slid into the water and over the falls. The man was presumed deceased. His body was not recovered and his identity has yet to be established. As he had engaged in a brief interaction with a NPPS officer moments before his fall, the SIU was notified of the incident and initiated an investigation. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s presumed death. 
     
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.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

Lisez ce communiqué en français.

Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES