Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has ended its probe into the hospitalization of a 23-year-old man following his arrest by the Stratford Police Service in June.
Deputy Director Stacey O’Brien announced the decision to discontinue the investigation after determining there was “patently nothing to investigate” regarding potential criminal liability by police.
The incident occurred in the early afternoon of June 8, 2025, when officers arrested the man in the parking lot of a Giant Tiger store following reports of a domestic assault. He was transported to the police station and placed in a cell.
While in custody, the man became emotional and agitated, at times crying, kicking the bed, striking the floor with his hands, and repeatedly hitting his head against the wall. During routine checks, officers found him unresponsive. He was taken to hospital, where he was treated for a drug overdose.
O’Brien said the SIU’s preliminary inquiries included reviewing partial video footage of the events. The findings concluded that the man’s medical crisis was the result of his own actions, with no conduct by officers that could give rise to criminal charges.
With the case closed, the SIU will not be pursuing the matter further.
