A Toronto police officer is due in court on Jan. 6 to face a manslaughter charge following a fatal shooting incident in Etobicoke this past fall.
In a news release issued Wednesday, Ontario's Special Investigations Unit said there were grounds to believe the officer had committed a criminal offence.
At about 1 a.m. on Sept. 29, police were executing a search warrant at a Dunbloor Road apartment building, which is near Kipling Avenue and Bloor Street West.
Officers from the Emergency Task Force and Guns and Gangs unit were involved in the search.
One resident described hearing someone, presumably police, yelling "Get down! Get down!" before hearing a big bang and a thump.
Eric Osawe, 26, suffered a gunshot wound. Toronto EMS rushed him to St. Michael's hospital, but he died of his injuries.
A family friend described Osawe as a troubled young man who had recently been released from prison.
Police arrested Ebony Osawe, Eric's 23-year-old brother, and charged him with five firearms-related offences.
Const. David Cavanaugh has been charged with manslaughter in connection with Eric Osawe's death. The SIU did not provide Cavanaugh’s age, years with the police or what unit he was with.
No allegations against either Cavanaugh or Ebony Osawe have been proven in a court of law.
The SIU said it would not comment further on this case as the matter is now before the courts.
The SIU is arm's-length provincial agency that reviews cases where someone has died, suffered serious injury or made an allegation of sexual assault after coming in contact with the police.
The SIU's director makes the decision as to whether a criminal charge is appropriate or not.
