News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Interaction with Man Inside West Parry Sound Hospital Safe Room
Case Number: 25-PCI-090
In the evening of November 4, 2023, a 44-year-old man was arrested and then taken to the West Parry Sound Health Centre hospital as he appeared to be of unsound mind. The man was placed in a ‘safe room’ to await medical evaluation. When the man’s mental state began to deteriorate, the hospital contacted the police. Officers attempted to calm the man through the door, but he was unreceptive. After some time, the officers pried the door open. One officer was able to deploy his conducted energy weapon through the small opening that had been created. The officers were then able to enter the room and physically engage the man. He was handcuffed and then sedated by hospital staff. The man was subsequently diagnosed with a fracture of the left orbital bone. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that an officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s arrest and injury.
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