(CNW) The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), James Cornish, has concluded there are no reasonable grounds to believe that any officers of the Greater Sudbury Police Service (GSPS) committed any criminal offence, in regards to the death of a Garson man on Nov. 6, 2007.
Six SIU investigators and two SIU forensic identification technicians (FITs) were assigned to probe the circumstances surrounding this death.
The SIU investigators determined that at approximately 7:40 am on Nov. 6 officers of the GSPS were sent to a call at 115 William St., Garson. When the officers arrived they discovered that a man had barricaded himself inside the home. The officers blocked off the street and cordoned off the home. At 9 am the officers spoke with the man in the home and asked him to come outside. The man declined to do so.
The officers lost verbal contact with the man. A short time later the officers heard a gunshot. After trying to raise the man a number of times, the officers entered the home at 10:14 am. The man was discovered in the kitchen suffering from a single gunshot wound. The man was later pronounced dead.
Director Cornish stated, "Officers of the GSPS tactical unit approached the house and asked the man to come out, but the man refused. A short time later the officers heard a gunshot. The officers entered the home and found the man on the floor suffering from a single gunshot wound." Cornish said, "The officers did nothing to cause the man's unfortunate death."
The SIU is a civilian agency that investigates circumstances involving police and civilians, which have resulted in serious injury, sexual assault or death. Under Part VII, Section 113, of the Police Services Act, the Director of the SIU has the sole authority to decide whether or not charges are warranted based on the findings of a complete investigation. The Director's decision is reported to the Attorney General.
