Police have been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing in the 2019 death of a 38-year-old man in Lac Seul First Nation.
Joseph Martino, the Director of the Special Investigations Unit, says he wasn’t able to form reasonable grounds to believe a Provincial Police officer committed a criminal offence in the November 19th incident in Kejick Bay.
The SIU report states the complainant and his girlfriend barricaded themselves in a bedroom and were threatening to commit suicide.
Fearing for her safety, the women left the home and contacted police, who quickly set up a perimeter and established brief contact with the complainant.
The next day, the OPP’s Tactical Response Unit arrived and using a pole camera, officers were able to see the resident lying on a bed, covered in blankets and not moving.
Police became concerned and decided to enter the home.
Once officers were at the bedroom door, the complainant was ordered to show their hands. At that time, the resident fired a shotgun they had hidden under the blanket and ended their life.
The report also noted that, “Methamphetamine and Amphetamine toxicity”, was a significant condition contributing to the death but not causally related to the immediate cause of death.
Martino says ‘The officers on scene, led by the SO, did what they reasonably could to prevent any harm coming to the complainant. The fact that they were unable to do so is most unfortunate, but far from criminal.”
He adds “In the final analysis, the record establishes that the SO and TRU officers acted professionally throughout and did not cause or contribute to the Complainant’s death in any way that could attract criminal sanction. Accordingly, there is no basis for proceeding with criminal charges against the SO or any other officer in connection with the Complainant’s death, and the file is closed.”
