Ontario’s police oversight agency has determined that two officers from Ottawa did not act with criminal negligence when they briefly chased a man who had broken into a bar, fled from the police, and subsequently fell from a downtown parking structure.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) intervened in late May of this year after the individual sustained severe head injuries due to the fall from the garage located at 30 York St.
In a report on Monday, the SIU stated that the 32-year-old man entered the bar around 3:30 a. m., while staff were still cleaning up after hours.
Employees contacted law enforcement as the manager led him into the adjoining parking garage, where responding officers located him.
According to the SIU, the injured man took off running from police, climbed over a railing on the third floor, and held onto it for a moment before falling.
The report notes that officers acted appropriately by attempting to arrest him based on suspicions of breaking and entering and mentioned they “could not have anticipated that he would shortly imperil his life.”
The officers made efforts to assist while he was hanging on but were unable to prevent his fall, as stated by the SIU.
The SIU investigates cases involving police interactions with civilians resulting in serious injury, firearm discharge at individuals, death, or claims of sexual assault.
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