The Special Investigations Unit found no reasonable grounds to believe a Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the discharge of a less-lethal firearm at a 60-year-old man in Gravenhurst. He was not seriously injured. On April 4, 2025, OPP officers were dispatched to a residential area following calls to police from several homeowners reporting the man set fire to a number of residences.
The officer, having reason to believe the man had a knife, shot the man with an Anti-riot Weapon Enfield (ARWEN) in the course of his arrest.
Director Joseph Martino found the use of the ARWEN made sense when the man refused to peacefully surrender and began to close the distance with the officers.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):
https://siu.on.ca/en/directors_report_details.php?drid=4576
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.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES