Colborne death under investigation

The OPP has released the following statement regarding a death which occurred in Colborne early on April 27:

MISSISSAUGA (April 27, 2009) - - - The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is investigating the circumstances of the death of a 20-year-old man in Colborne.

The SIU was notified that on April 26, 2009, shortly after midnight, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) went to a third-floor apartment on King Street regarding a 911 call.

The officers went into an apartment to speak to a male relevant to the call. The officers located Cody Wilkins of Colborne on the ground outside below the apartment window. Mr. Wilkins was taken to Northumberland Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The SIU has assigned three investigators and two forensic investigators to probe the circumstances of this occurrence.

At this time the SIU has designated five officers as witness officers and two officers as subject officers.

A post-mortem examination was scheduled April 27 in Toronto.

The SIU is asking anyone who may have witnessed this incident to contact the SIU at
1-800-787-8529 extension #1806 or 416-622-1806.

The SIU is a civilian agency that investigates cases of serious injuries (including allegations of sexual assault) and deaths involving the police.

Pursuant to section 113 of the Police Services Act, the Director of the SIU is mandated to consider whether a criminal offence has been committed by an officer(s) in connection with the incident under investigation and, where warranted by the evidence, to cause a criminal charge or charges to be laid against the officer(s).

The Director reports the results of investigations to the Attorney General.