Toronto cop accused of negligence after man’s suicide
Police watchdog lays charge in High Park incident involving 19-year-old
The province’s police watchdog has charged a Toronto cop over his unspecified involvement with a suicidal man in High Park last winter.
In a news release Thursday, the Special Investigations Unit announced that, after a recent inquiry, Toronto police Const. Kyle Upjohn has been charged with criminal negligence causing death, and failing to provide the necessities of life.
The SIU statement said police were contacted around 2 p.m. on Feb. 2, regarding a suicide attempt by a 19year-old man inside the west-end park. By 3:30 p.m., the SIU wrote, the 19-year-old was pronounced dead.
No other details were provided. The deceased man’s name has never been released and is unknown to the Star.
The SIU investigates instances across Ontario where a civilian is seriously injured, killed, or sexually assaulted during an interaction with police. In an email, Jason Gennaro, spokesperson for the agency, declined to elaborate on this investigation’s findings because the matter is before the courts.
Later Thursday afternoon, Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders told re- porters he can’t talk about Upjohn’s charges. “When the SIU invokes a mandate, we’re not allowed to talk, so by law I can’t talk,” he said.
Toronto Police Association president Mike McCormack, meanwhile, was not available to comment on Thursday, according to his assistant. A man who answered the front door at Upjohn’s home on Thursday said, “Nothing to say. Goodbye,” and shut the door. Upjohn is scheduled to appear in court at Old City Hall on Aug. 4.
The charges come amid calls for the reform of police oversight and accountability. There were protests this year after the SIU decided not to charge the Toronto police officer who shot and killed 45-year-old Andrew Loku last summer. In the face of public pressure and calls for transparency, Ontario’s Attorney General released nine of 34 pages from the SIU investigation report into Loku’s death.