NEWS RELEASE
SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT
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The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into the death of a 30-year-old man earlier this month in Guelph-Eramosa Township.
At 1:18 p.m. on Oct. 3, 2018, the man contacted the Provincial Communications Centre (PCC) and informed that he was about to commit suicide and he described his location.
While continuing to talk to the man, the PCC made efforts to locate the man’s cell phone via cell tower triangulation. A short time later, the man disconnected the call. In the meantime, several police officers had been dispatched.
At 2:43 p.m., officers located the man, deceased, at the base of a hydro tower located at 7390 Side Road 14. He had suffered a fatal gunshot wound.
Director Loparco said, “The evidence is clear that police conduct did not contribute to the man’s death in any way. Accordingly, I have terminated the investigation into this incident.”
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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