Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit continues to investigate after a man was seriously injured during a police arrest in Peterborough last week.
According to the SIU, around 11:35 a.m. on May 19, Peterborough Police Service officers attended the No Frills grocery store at 230 George Street West for a disturbance call.
The SIU says officers located a 40-year-old man of interest in the south parking lot of the grocery store.
“A struggle ensued as officers attempted to arrest him,” the SIU stated Wednesday. “The man sustained a serious injury and was transported to hospital.”
The extent of the injuries was not disclosed.
The SIU has assigned two investigators and one forensic investigator to the case. As of Wednesday, two subject officials and three witness officials have been designated in the investigation.
On May 19, Global News Peterborough aired submitted bystander footage of the incident during its newscasts.
At the start of approximately two minutes and 40 seconds of footage, an officer is pointing what he says is a “Taser” and repeatedly asks a man to “get down on your knees.”
“If you don’t get down on your knees now you’re going to get tased,” an officer says.
The individual several times asks the officer to “stand down,” “do it” while claiming he was “unarmed” and “has a bad heart.”
About a minute into the footage, the man begins walking away as a police cruiser arrives and another officer exits and rushes to the man and grabs him.
The first officer then helps wrestle the man to the ground as a third officer arrives and assists in arresting the man.
The man’s facial area is seen covered in blood.
Last week, the Peterborough Police Service declined to comment on the incident, stating the SIU had invoked its mandate. The SIU investigates all police-related incidents that result in serious injury, death, the discharge of a firearm or an allegation of sexual assault.
The SIU is urging anyone who may have information about this investigation to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529. The unit is also urging anyone who may have any video evidence related to this incident to upload that video through the SIU website.