SIU Concludes Investigation into ARWEN Deployment at Man in Sabaskong First Nation

Press Release

Mississauga, ON (6 October, 2025) In the morning of June 8, 2025, paramedics were dispatched to a residence in Sabaskong First Nation to treat a 22-year-old man for a hand injury. When the man threatened to retrieve a firearm, the paramedics fled the residence and police were called. Over the next two-and-a-half hours, Treaty Three Police Service officers and Ontario Provincial Police officers attempted to negotiate with the man. The man finally stepped outside through the front door onto the porch, with his hands up near his head. After lowering his hands, and failing to come down the ramp that led from the porch, an OPP officer fired his Anti-Riot Weapon Enfield (ARWEN) at the man. He was struck once in the abdomen, and once in the left upper arm. The man re-entered the residence, but came back out about 10 minutes later. He was arrested and taken into custody. The man suffered a wound from the ARWEN projectile to the left upper arm that was closed with staples. The projectile that struck his abdomen caused bruising. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that an officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the use of his ARWEN.

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (municipal, regional and provincial police officers, police officers with the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, special constables with the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers with the Legislative Protective Service) that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, the Director of the SIU must

• consider whether the official has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
• depending on the evidence, cause a criminal charge to be laid against the official where grounds exist for doing so, or close the file without any charges being laid
• publicly report the results of its investigations

Lisez ce communiqué en français.

Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES

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