No criminal charges against OPP in Huntsville double-homicide

From the Special Investigations Unit:

On the evening of October 25, 2024, the OPP received 911 calls from residents in an area of Huntsville, reporting the sound of multiple gunshots.

At about 9 p.m., a man contacted the OPP and indicated he had shot dead two family members at their home. Officers were dispatched to the home and, shortly after, were able to reach the 52-year-old man by phone. He refused their requests that he exit the home and indicated he would soon take his own life. He told police that he was armed with a rifle and handguns.

A drone was sent in to make observations inside the residence. The drone located two deceased women and a deceased dog, and the man was located deceased in the basement with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that the acting critical incident commander committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s death. 

Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (police officers as well as 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

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