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Ontario’s police watchdog has opened an investigation after a 44-year-old man died while in custody at the Ontario Provincial Police detachment in Orillia.
The Special Investigation Unit confirmed it launched the probe following the man’s death. OPP officers initially responded to a disturbance on Sunday, shortly after 6:45 p.m.
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Three Men Arrested After Sunday Disturbance
Officers arrested three men at the scene. After the arrests, police transported all three to the OPP’s Orillia detachment, where officers searched them and placed them in cells.
The following morning, at around 6:30 a.m. on Monday, officers conducted a routine check. During that check, one of the three men showed no vital signs.
Emergency responders attempted to resuscitate the man. However, those efforts were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
SIU Assigns Investigators to the Case
The Special Investigation Unit is now examining the circumstances surrounding the death. The SIU assigned three investigators and one forensic expert to the case.
The SIU is Ontario’s independent civilian oversight body. It investigates incidents involving police that result in serious injury, sexual assault allegations, or death.
The man’s identity has not been publicly released. No further details about the nature of the original disturbance have been disclosed at this time.
The investigation remains ongoing. The SIU has not yet indicated when it expects to release findings from its review.
