News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation into Man’s Wrist Fractures
Case Number: 25-OCI-080
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into right wrist fractures suffered by a 23-year-old man in Owen Sound.
On February 26, 2025, the Owen Sound Police Service notified the SIU that a man they arrested a week prior was diagnosed with a serious injury. The SIU initiated an investigation.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, including an interview with the man and video footage that captured the incident in part, Director Martino was satisfied the investigation should be discontinued at this time.
On February 21, 2025, the man was arrested at a residence in Owen Sound following a call to police from his roommate expressing concerns about his mental well-being. Police officers took the man to hospital, where he was placed in a patient room in the emergency department. While waiting to be seen by medical staff, the man punched the wall with his right fist. The man was not co-operative with medical staff, and police and hospital security were required to physically restrain him. During efforts to get the man under control, he was combative and struck a police officer in the jaw. The man was subsequently diagnosed with fractures to his right hand. No force was used during the restraint process that could have caused the injury.
It was apparent the man alone was responsible for his injury, leaving patently nothing to investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of any police officer was concerned.
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