THUNDER BAY – The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into the death last month of a 62-year-old man in Thunder Bay.
At 7:33 a.m. on April 1, 2018 – as a result of a disturbance call – Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) officers were dispatched to an apartment building located in the area of South Water Street and Cumberland Street South. While the officers were en route, a 911 call was received from the same building from a woman who reported that a friend had just jumped over the balcony of a third-floor apartment to the ground below. Upon arrival, the officers located the man who lay motionless. He was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Director Loparco said, “The evidence is clear that the man’s death was caused by his descent from the balcony prior to the arrival of the police. Accordingly, I have terminated the investigation into this incident.”
The SIU is an arm’s length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault. Under the Police Services Act, the Director of the SIU must
- consider whether an officer has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
- depending on the evidence, lay a criminal charge against the officer if appropriate or close the file without any charges being laid
- report the results of any investigations to the Attorney General.
