SIU clears London police after man, 30, injures foot jumping from second-floor balcony

The province’s police watchdog says a 30-year-old London man’s foot injury came as a result of him jumping from a second-floor balcony and not as a result of police officers.

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said Wednesday it had terminated its probe into the incident, which occurred around 10 p.m. on April 2.

Officers had responded to the scene at an unspecified address in the city after receiving a 911 call about a domestic disturbance, the SIU said.

According to the agency, the man had scaled down from his third-floor balcony to a balcony on the second floor prior to police arriving at the scene.

He injured his right foot when he jumped from the second floor to the ground below, the SIU said. He was later taken into custody.

In a statement, SIU Director Joseph Martino said it was clear that the man alone was responsible for his injury.

“Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, there is patently nothing to further investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of any police officer is concerned in connection with the man’s injury,” Martino said.

Three SIU investigations involving London police remain active, according to the agency, including the in-custody death of Amanda Bolt, 28, in November, and the death of Caleb Tubila Njoko, 27, last month.

Njoko died in hospital on May 8, three days after plunging 15 floors from the balcony of his mother’s Walnut Street apartment during an interaction with police.