SIU finds no criminal wrongdoing by Ottawa police in self‑inflicted injury incident

The side of a Special Investigations Unit vehicle is seen in this undated file photo. (file)

Ontario’s police watchdog has cleared Ottawa police after investigating a January incident in which a man wielding a knife suffered self-inflicted injuries.

According to a statement from the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), on Jan. 3, Ottawa police found a 35-year-old man, who had previously been reported as experiencing a mental health crisis, in his car wielding a knife.

• Ontario’s SIU investigating Ottawa police incident in which man was seriously injured

The SIU says the man attempted to flee in his car before being boxed in by police at Longfield’s Drive, south of Cambrian Road.

“Police negotiated with the man to drop the knife. After several hours, tactical officers moved in to apprehend the man under the Mental Health Act,” the SIU said.

“During his arrest, police used conducted energy weapons and pepper spray. The man was taken to hospital for treatment of a self-inflicted knife wound to his abdomen.”

Joseph Martino, director of the SIU, found there were “no reasonable grounds” to believe Ottawa police committed criminal offences, and that officers negotiated “with care and compassion.”

“He found the force used made sense as it was imperative that the man be incapacitated as quickly as possible to prevent the knife from being used to inflict grievous bodily harm or death on himself or the officers,” the SIU said.

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates police interactions that may have resulted in death, serious injury, the discharge of a firearm and/or sexual assault.

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