A police officer has been cleared of any wrongdoing following the death of a 51-year-old man after a wellness check at an apartment building near Sunnyside Park.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) concluded there were no reasonable grounds to believe a Toronto Police officer committed a criminal offense during the incident on March 31 in the Queensway-Windermere Avenue area.
The investigation was initiated after Peel Regional Police contacted Toronto Police regarding a man wanted for multiple offenses, including breach of a release order and uttering threats, after his cellphone location was detected in Toronto.
Upon arrival at the condominium complex, officers gained access with management assistance and began negotiating with the man, who had moved to a balcony and was reportedly hanging from an exterior rail.
Officers attempted to pull the man to safety, with one officer grasping his right hand and a witness holding his left forearm, but heavy rain and latex gloves hindered their grip.
The man fell at approximately 7:58 p.m., and was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:18 p.m. An autopsy later confirmed death due to blunt-force impact trauma to the torso.
The SIU also investigated a separate incident on the same day involving a man’s death at a Mississauga condo complex, where Peel Regional Police were present, prompting the agency to invoke its mandate.
No details were released regarding the victim’s identity in either case.
