An Oshawa SIU Investigation is underway after a 42-year-old man was found unwell inside a residence during a Durham Regional Police response and later died in hospital.
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit, the province’s civilian police watchdog, is investigating the circumstances surrounding the man’s death following the incident in Oshawa.
According to information released about the case, Durham police were called to the residence late Sunday night after a woman reported that an unwanted man was inside her home and would not leave.
Police called to Oshawa residence
By the time officers arrived at the property, the woman who contacted police had already left the residence.
The 42-year-old man remained inside.
The SIU says the man would not communicate with the officers who attended the scene.
Police eventually forced open a door to enter the residence.
Once inside, officers found the man described by the SIU as being “unwell.”
The information released publicly does not provide further details about his medical condition or explain what caused him to become unwell.
Man transported to hospital
After the man was found inside the home, he was transported to hospital for medical treatment.
He remained in hospital before dying Tuesday night.
The man’s identity was not provided in the information released, and no additional details about his death have been announced.
The Oshawa SIU Investigation will examine the circumstances surrounding the police interaction and events connected to the man’s death.
The existence of an SIU investigation does not itself mean that police officers committed wrongdoing.
Four SIU investigators assigned
The Special Investigations Unit has assigned three investigators and one forensic investigator to the case.
Investigators are expected to gather available evidence and establish a timeline of what occurred before, during and after police entered the Oshawa residence.
The supplied information does not indicate whether any officer has been designated as a subject official or provide further details about the evidence being examined.
No finding regarding police conduct has been announced.
What does the SIU investigate?
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit is an independent civilian law-enforcement agency that investigates certain incidents involving police and other designated officials.
Its mandate includes incidents that may have resulted in death or serious injury, allegations of sexual assault, and cases involving the discharge of a firearm at a person.
An SIU investigation is intended to determine whether there are reasonable grounds to believe an official committed a criminal offence during an incident falling within the agency’s mandate.
The watchdog conducts its investigations independently from the police service involved.
Investigation remains ongoing
The Oshawa SIU Investigation remains active as investigators examine the circumstances surrounding the 42-year-old man’s interaction with Durham police and his subsequent death.
At this stage, authorities have not announced a determination about what caused the man’s death or whether the actions of any officer contributed to it.
The supplied report also does not indicate how long the man had been inside the residence before police arrived or provide additional details about his relationship with the woman who contacted authorities.
Further information may become available as the SIU investigation progresses.
Until the investigation is completed, conclusions about the circumstances of the death or the conduct of responding officers should not be drawn.
Any significant findings, including whether the SIU determines there are grounds for criminal charges or closes the investigation without charges, should be added to the article when officially released.
