SIU investigating after man seriously injured during interaction with Toronto police

The logo of the Ontario Special Investigations Unit is pictured in Toronto on Friday, April 12, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Arlyn McAdorey

The province’s police watchdog is investigating after a man was seriously injured during an interaction with Toronto police on Saturday.

According to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), officers were making an arrest at around 7 p.m. in the area of Victoria Street Lane and Dundas Street East, near Yonge Street, when a “third party” was injured.

The man was taken to hospital for treatment and diagnosed with a serious injury, the SIU said.

Police have not released any information about the interaction or said why officers were initiating an arrest in the area at the time.

“The SIU is currently investigating, and by law, we cannot comment further,” Toronto police said in an email to CP24 on Friday.

According to Toronto Police Association President Jon Reid, plainclothes officers were investigating "the sale and distribution of street level drugs" in the area when the incident occurred.

"While arresting a person for possession and trafficking of fentanyl, another person interfered with the actions of the police officers. When the man refused to leave, an altercation took place with another police officer. The man was taken to hospital. The Special Investigations Unit was contacted and invoked its mandate. The law prohibits us from providing any further comment about this incident," Reid said in an email to CP24.

"In general, aside from this case, we can say that members of the public should never interfere with police operations, including physically engaging with officers. Officers do not know the motive or intent of the person interfering, nor do they know if they are armed, under the influence, etc. We understand that watching someone get arrested can be upsetting; often there is a struggle."

He went on to say that officers are "trained to use the least amount of force necessary" but are "lawfully entitled to use force" required to keep all of those involved safe.

"If a person involves themselves in police operations, it creates an unpredictability in a situation that is already tense and volatile," he concluded.