SIU clears OPP officer following incident in Belle River

The Special Investigations Unit has concluded an investigation after a man suffered self-inflicted injuries in Belle River over the summer. 

The SIU states they found no reasonable grounds to believe that an Ontario Provincial Police officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the serious injuries suffered by a 21-year-old man in July. 

On July 3, 2023, officers were dispatched following reports of a collision on Notre Dame Street in Lakeshore. 

The driver had reportedly exited a moving vehicle before it collided with a building. 

Following that incident, police received calls about a man trespassing onto properties on and west of West Belle River Road, and that he was holding something in hands, believed to be a rifle. 

When the officer found the man in a garage at a home on Diesbourg Boulevard and confronted him with a C8 rifle.

The man ran away before turning back and heading towards the officer. 

She returned to her cruiser and he jabbed at the officer though an open window, managing to take control of her weapon and flee. 

The man discarded the weapon and found a knife where he cut himself across the neck and the left side of his torso before jumping into the Belle River. 

Officers later found him in the river, encouraged him to return to land and helped him back to shore by throwing him a flotation device. 

Officers provided emergency first aid and he was taken to hospital where he was treated for lacerations to his neck and abdomen. 

The investigation is now closed as the SIU states they found no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer committed a criminal offence in connection to the suspects injuries.