SIU investigating after Toronto cops discharge sock round, less-lethal firearm at man that resulted in serious injuries

The province’s police watchdog is investigating after Toronto officers discharged sock round and less-lethal firearm at a man who had allegedly stabbed another person in the city’s Rockcliffe-Smythe area on Saturday morning.

According to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Toronto police responded to an apartment on Woolner Avenue, in the Jane Street and St. Clair Avenue West area, at 7:40 a.m. for a stabbing.

Police received a report that a 56-year-old man had stabbed someone with a knife and was threatening others with a staple gun.

The SIU said when officers located the man in a hallway, he approached them with a staple gun.

That prompted one officer to discharge a sock round, which struck the man, the SIU said, adding that other officers also deployed conducted energy weapons at him.

Shortly after, the man entered his apartment unit and barricaded himself. The SIU said one officer fired their gun, but the man was not hit.

Emergency Task Force officers attended and tried to negotiate with the man.

“After a time, officers entered his unit, and one officer discharged a less-lethal firearm. Officers also discharged conducted energy weapons at the man,” the SIU said.

The man was subsequently arrested and then taken to the hospital to be treated for his serious injury, the SIU said.

No police officer was injured in the incident.

The SIU, an arm’s length agency called in to investigate whenever police are involved in a death, serious injury, allegations of sexual assault, or the discharge of a weapon, has assigned three investigators and two forensic investigators to the case.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the SIU lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529 or submit video or photo evidence online at https://siu.on.ca/en/appeals.php.