SIU investigating after ‘person in crisis’ dies during interaction with police

The Special Investigations Unit has been called in after a man died following an interaction with police in the former city of York.

Police were called to a building on Outlook Avenue near Jane Street around 4:30 p.m. for what was described as “unknown trouble.”

Police indicated in a tweet that they were on the scene negotiating with a “person in crisis.”

They later tweeted out that the SIU had been called in to investigate and that they could not comment any further.

In a news release on Friday night, the SIU said police were called after reports a 66-year-old man was hanging off the balcony of the building. When police arrived, they went up to the ninth floor and began talking to the man from a neighbouring balcony. A short time later, the man fell to the ground.

The man was pronounced dead in hospital.

The man’s name will not be released at the request of the next of kin, the SIU said in an update on Saturday.

“One police officer has been designated as the subject officer and four designated as witness officers,” the organization said.

This is the second time in less than three months in which the SIU has been summoned after a police encounter with an individual in crisis ended in their death.

The police watchdog is currently in the final stages of an investigation involving the death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet. She died after falling from the balcony of her apartment back in May.

Police went to her building following 9-1-1 calls about a possible assault. Her mother has said she wanted police to take her daughter to a mental health facility while the family has questioned the role of Toronto police officers in her death.

The SIU is called in where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault involving police and members of the public.