Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has closed the case on an investigation into the actions of London police during an arrest in June.
According to the SIU, police responded, just before 4:30 a.m. on June 4, 2023, to a parking lot in the area of Horton Street East and Ridout Street where a man was using a crowbar to damage property.
The suspect told police that he'd had an altercation with another man prior to the destruction about an alleged assault on another individual.
The SIU said that when a police officer told the man to stop what he was doing, he refused to follow directions. Police then used a conducted energy weapon on him, causing him to fall and hit his head.
The suspect was taken to hospital for testing. Initially, it was declared that the man hadn't suffered any serious injuries, but after complaining of dizziness he was examined again. Further testing showed that the man had suffered a brain bleed and he was admitted to the Critical Care Unit.
On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that a London Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man's arrest and injury.
The file has now been closed.
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of police and other officials that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault, or the discharge of a firearm at a person.
