NEWS RELEASE
SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT
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The province’s Special Investigations Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of 72-year-old Clyde Abbott yesterday in Guelph. The SIU was given consent by the man’s next of kin to release his name, in accordance with the Special Investigations Unit’s name release policy.
Preliminary information suggests the following:
- At approximately 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 13, 2018, Guelph Police Service officers responded to a break and enter call at a residence on Speedvale Avenue East, near Victoria Avenue North.
- While police spoke with Mr. Abbott, the owner of the residence, he collapsed.
- Emergency Medical Services attended and transported him to hospital. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
Two investigators and one forensic investigator have been assigned to this incident. The post-mortem took place today in Hamilton.
The SIU is urging anyone who may have information about this investigation to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529. The Unit is also urging anyone who may have any video evidence related to this incident to upload that video through the SIU website.
The SIU is an arm’s length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault. Under the Police Services Act, the Director of the SIU must
- consider whether an officer has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
- depending on the evidence, lay a criminal charge against the officer if appropriate or close the file without any charges being laid
- report the results of any investigations to the Attorney General.
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