At least seven people were killed in Canadian police actions in July 2024. This brings the total number of people killed in police actions to at least 54 so far this year. These deaths include people who were directly killed by police, as in police shootings, or died during police deployments or in police custody.

At least nine people were killed in police actions in June, seven people in May, 11 people in April, 11 people in March, five people in February, and four people in January 2024. There were at least 97 police-involved deaths in Canada in 2023, while in 2022, there were at least 117 police-involved deaths.

The details below are based on police reports, reports from oversight agencies, and in some cases information from families. As always, because there are no formal, systemic mechanisms for documenting and reporting police killings publicly in Canada, all numbers presented for police-involved deaths represent an undercount.

In addition to the known cases, there are instances of police-involved deaths that have no reporting. For example, in July alone, the Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) lists three deaths for which they offer no public reporting (Port Alberni RCMP, July 7, Terrace RCMP, July 20, Burnaby RCMP, July 25). So we do not know at this point how police were involved or what role they may have played in these deaths.

In July, one person was shot and killed by police. Four people died in police custody or following restraint. Two people died in falls. Five of the deaths involved police forces in Ontario.

 

 

July 2-3. Waterloo Regional Police Service. Fall

A 17-year-old male who fell from a bridge while in crisis during a police deployment in Cambridge, Ontario, on July 2, died on July 3. It is reported that Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) officers went to a bridge at Concession Street and Water Street in Cambridge after receiving notice of a young man standing on the railing of the bridge. Officers located the teenager, who was determined to be in crisis. Officers allegedly attempted to negotiate with him, but at some point, he fell from the bridge and into the Grand River. He was rescued but found with vital signs absent. He was transported to hospital and was pronounced dead there the next day.

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has assigned three investigators and one forensic investigator to examine the case. One subject official and six witness officials have been designated.

 

July 9. Prince Albert Police. Custody

A 49-year-old man died on July 9, while being held in police custody in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. It is reported that the man was arrested by Prince Albert city police officers on July 3 and then reportedly appeared in Prince Albert provincial court on July 4 before being remanded to the Prince Albert Correctional Centre. He went into medical distress on July 5 and was first taken to Prince Albert’s Victoria Hospital, then to Saskatoon.

Prince Albert police opened an internal investigation after they were informed of the death by the Saskatchewan Coroners Service on July 10. Prince Albert police have since requested the RCMP take over the investigation.

 

July 9-10. Ontario Provincial Police. Custody

The SIU is investigating the death of a 36-year-old man in police custody on the morning of July 10, following his arrest on July 9. According to the SIU, at approximately 8:30 PM on July 9, the man was arrested in Arthur by Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers and detained in police cells at the North Wellington Operations Centre in Teviotdale. He was transferred to the South Wellington Operations Centre in Rockwood that same night.

On the morning of July 10, the man was seen to be in medical distress. Emergency Medical Services transported the man to a hospital in Guelph where he was pronounced dead at 11:20 AM.

 

July 8-11. Hamilton Police Service. Restraint.

The SIU is investigating the death of a 49-year-old man in Hamilton on July 11, following his arrest on July 8. They report that at approximately 10:45 PM on July 8, Hamilton Police Service (HPS) officers attended a home in Dundas to assist paramedics with a medical call. Upon arrival, officers allegedly found the man incoherent and unresponsive. HPS officers restrained the man, and paramedics reportedly treated him. At some point, the man went vital signs absent and he was transported to hospital. He was pronounced dead there on July 11. It has not been reported publicly why the man was restrained by police if he was already unresponsive.

 

July 14. Toronto Police Service. Fall

The SIU is investigating the death of a 43-year-old man with Toronto police present in Etobicoke on July 14. According to the SIU, at approximately 11:45 AM, Toronto Police Service (TPS) officers went to an apartment building at 5005 Dundas Street West and attended an apartment unit on the 14th floor. Officers reportedly spoke with a man through the door, but he did not open the door.

A short time later, the man allegedly fell from the balcony to the ground below. He was pronounced dead at the scene. It has not been reported what police said to the man.

 

July 16. London Police Service. Shooting

The SIU is investigating the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old man by London Police Service (LPS) officers on the night of July 16. According to the SIU, officers were called just before midnight to a residence on Wellesley Crescent for a domestic violence incident. Officers reportedly located a man inside the residence holding a knife in his hand. The man had reportedly stabbed a girl and a man. A third man was inside the residence and uninjured.

Police claim there was some type of undisclosed “interaction” between the youth and police and two officers fired their weapons striking him. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The girl, Breanna Broadfoot (17), died two days later in hospital. The other injured man, 22, has been released from hospital.

The SIU has assigned three investigators and two forensic investigators to examine the killing. It has designated two subject officials at this time.

 

July 31. Ponteix RCMP. Custody

Saskatchewan’s Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) is investigating a man’s death in RCMP custody on July 31. They report that at around 6:30 PM, Ponteix RCMP along with Emergency Medical Services (EMS) were called to help “with an individual requiring medical assistance” at a residence in the southwest Saskatchewan town of Ponteix. An RCMP officer took the man into custody under the Mental Health Services Act. The man went into medical distress. EMS took over medical care of the man, who was later pronounced dead at the scene.

 

Jeff Shantz is a long-time anti-authoritarian organizer, researcher, and writer who lives and works on Kwantlen, Katzie, and Semiahmoo territories (Surrey, British Columbia).