An SIU investigation into an incident involving a 21-year-old man and a York Regional Police officer has found that there were no reasonable grounds to believe that an officer committed a criminal offence.
The 21-year-old man was seriously injured during a confrontation with a police officer in Richmond Hill on Sept. 19, 2023.
The man was diagnosed with a fractured nose after the incident with the York Regional Police officer.
Evidence collected through investigation by the SIU deemed the officer did not commit an offence in connection with the man’s injury.
The officer was dispatched on the evening of Sept. 18 to a residence in the area of Bathurst Street and King Road in Richmond Hill for a domestic disturbance at the house.
A witness had called police to report that the complainant was inebriated and becoming aggressive, the report said.
The report said that the officers were aware that the complainant had left the house in the direction of King Road, and the officers located him shortly after their arrival in the area.
The complainant was standing by a bus stop and ignored the officer when he spoke to him through the passenger side window of the cruiser, the report said.
“He continued to ignore the officer as he stopped and stepped out of his cruiser to approach him,” the report said.
When the complainant was walking away from the officer on the sidewalk, he turned around and swung his right hand at the officer and struck him, according to the report.
The officer then took hold of the complainant, forcing him to the ground. The report says that with the complainant on his backside and still pushing the officer, the officer delivered a short elbow strike to the nose of the complainant.
“The complainant continued to try to punch the (officer) and was met with another elbow strike to the nose, causing it to bleed,” the report said.
Another officer then assisted in controlling the complainant's arms behind the back and securing them in handcuffs, the report said.
Following the arrest, the complainant was then lifted to his feet and walked to the cruiser, but he kicked backwards in the direction of the officer.
The report says the officer took the complainant to the ground once again, and with the assisting officer, held him there until paramedics arrived.
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person.
