News Release

News Release

SIU Concludes Investigation into Officer’s Discharge of Less-Lethal Firearm at Man in Cambridge

Case Number: 25-OFP-164   

Other News Releases Related to Case 25-OFP-164

SIU Investigating Police Deployment of ARWEN at Man in Cambridge

Mississauga, ON (19 August, 2025) ---
The Special Investigations Unit found no reasonable grounds to believe a Waterloo Regional Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the discharge of a less-lethal firearm at a 57-year-old man in Cambridge. On April 25, 2025, officers were called to the Super 8 Hotel on Hespeler Road. A woman had called to report that the man, her partner, had threatened to kill her. He had a knife and hatchet in a room at the hotel.

Officers attempted to negotiate with the man as he threatened to harm himself. Officers discharged conducted energy weapons at the man and a single shot from an Anti-Riot Weapon Enfield (ARWEN). The man was handcuffed.

Director Joseph Martino found the officer’s use of the ARWEN constituted lawful force. Faced with a person in possession of knives capable of inflicting grievous bodily harm or death, the use of a less-lethal weapon was a proportionate use of force, he concluded.

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 (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