Officer charged after man seriously injured in Toronto: SIU

A Toronto police officer has been criminally charged in connection with an alleged assault on a 48-year-old man earlier this year, the province’s police watchdog says.

In a news release issued Wednesday, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) confirmed that the agency’s director, Joseph Martino, found reasonable grounds to believe a police officer committed a criminal offence in relation to serious injury a man sustained during an interaction with police in January.

The SIU did not release details about the incident but confirmed Wednesday that the officer has been charged with aggravated assault.

The SIU says Const. Christopher Merritt will appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 10 Armoury Street on Sept. 5 at 2 p.m.

“As the matter is before the courts, and in consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, the SIU will not provide further comment on the investigation,” the SIU said in the news release.