News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Man’s Lacerated Spleen in Connection to Ottawa Arrest
Case Number: 24-OCI-137
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe an Ontario Provincial Police officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the serious injury of a 46-year-old man. On March 25, 2024, the man was diagnosed with a lacerated spleen following his arrest. Police arrested the man east of the St. Patrick Street bridge as he matched the description of a man who stolen alcohol from a nearby LCBO. The man was taken to the ground and handcuffed by the officers.
While Director Martino accepted that the man was injured in the course of his arrest, the likely result of a knee strike delivered by the officer, he found no reasonable grounds to believe that the injury was attributable to unlawful conduct on the part of the officer.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):
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
Lisez ce communiqué en français.
Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES