The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe an Ontario Provincial Police officer committed a criminal offence in connection with firing an Anti-Riot Weapon Enfield (ARWEN) at a 28-year-old man. On September 29, 2025, police were called to a carpark behind the Guesthouse Shelter, 522 Elizabeth Street, Midland. There were 911 calls about a man armed with a knife chasing a female in the vicinity.
The man fled from police and threw his knife away. He had a knife but threw it away. The man refused to stop despite repeated commands. The officer discharged three rounds of the ARWEN at the man. The man fell and the officer arrested him.
Director Martino found the use of the less-lethal firearm made sense as the man had reportedly had a knife, and its use allowed the officer to neutralize the man from a safe distance without anyone getting seriously hurt.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):
