Barrie police officer cleared of wrongdoing in March arrest that injured suspect: SIU

CTV News

5 days ago

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) concluded their investigation of a Barrie arrest in March where they say the suspect was injured after his face was struck by a police officer's weapon.
According to the SIU, a woman called local police back on March 23 to report a domestic disturbance. She reported that the 27-year-old man she was living with was in possession of cocaine and a loaded firearm.
Officers were dispatched to the Barrie address near Penetanguishene Road and Georgian Drive, with members of the Tactical Support Unit (TSU) using a battering ram to force the front door open. A distraction device was also deployed.
The officers then entered the doorway of the home and into the foyer, awakening the man while he was sleeping. The SIU says the man was wearing an 'oversized' hooded jacket, and that he followed the officers' directions, exiting his bedroom with his hands up and making his way downstairs.
But then the SIU reports that the man reached into the front pocket of his sweater, causing officers to be concerned that he was reaching for a firearm. He was four steps from the bottom of the stairs when, according to the SIU, one of the officers reportedly exclaimed 'don't reach for [expletive].'
The SIU says the officers then grabbed him by the right arm and pulled him down. While the man was falling forward, the man reportedly suffered an orbital bone fracture when his face struck the barrel of an officer's C8 rifle.
However, upon assessing the evidence, SIU investigators concluded on Friday that there were 'no reasonable grounds' to believe the officer committed a criminal offence in relation to the man's arrest and injury.