News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation into Man’s Injury in Fall While Evading Arrest in Toronto
Case Number: 25-TCI-183
The Deputy Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Stacey O’Brien, has terminated an investigation into a reported fractured left ankle suffered by a 30-year-old man.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, on May 6, 2025, Toronto Police Service officers went to a residence in the area of Queen Street East and Booth Avenue, to execute an arrest warrant with respect to an unrelated matter. While there, they were alerted to the presence of another individual at the location who had reportedly been issued a trespass notice from the building and was believed to have two outstanding warrants for his arrest.
When police arrived at the apartment suite where the man was believed to be, he attempted to evade police by fleeing through a window. As he climbed down the exterior wall at the rear of the building he slipped and fell to the ground. Officers located him on the ground behind the building. He was transported to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a fractured right ankle. He had no interaction with police prior to his decision to exit the premises via the window. By his own admission, corroborated by witness narrative, and video footage, police were not responsible for the injuries sustained by the man. In conclusion, Deputy Director O’Brien found it was plain and obvious that the police did nothing that could conceivably attract criminal liability in connection with the man’s injuries.
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
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Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES