Four city police officers face probe after injury to man, 60, during arrest

The province’s Special Investigations Unit is appealing for the public’s help after a 60-year-old Ottawa man was taken to hospital with serious injuries after a weekend arrest.

According to a timeline released by the SIU, at about 11:45 p.m. Sunday Ottawa police were called to a Boston Pizza restaurant at 1055 St. Laurent Blvd., where a man was “making threats” to staff.

Police encountered the man both inside and outside the restaurant, according to the SIU, and he was eventually taken into custody. The man was taken to hospital “where he was diagnosed with a serious injury,” the SIU news release said.

The SIU did not release any specifics about the man’s injury.

The police watchdog assigned two investigators to the case, and said four Ottawa police officers will be investigated, while six more have been designated as witnesses to the incident.

The SIU appealed to anyone who may have information to contact the unit at 1-800-787-8529. Investigators are urging anyone with potential video of the incident to upload the video through the SIU website.

The SIU is an arm’s-length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.