Ontario's police watchdog says it has determined that no London police officers were inside an apartment when a man fell to his death from a 15th floor balcony.
The Special Investigations Unit provided an update Tuesday on its investigation into the death of Caleb Tubila Njoko. The 26-year-old died May 8, three days after falling from the balcony of an apartment building at 85 Walnut St. Police responded to the apartment after getting a call about a person in distress. The update came three days after London police Chief Steve Williams asked the SIU to expedite the investigation.
In a statement released Tuesday, the SIU said it is "working diligently to ensure the investigation is concluded, and its findings released, as expeditiously as possible."
According to the SIU, it has so far interviewed two civilian witnesses and three London police officers. However, the subject officer invoked her right to not be interviewed. She did turn over her duty notes to investigators.
In the days after his death, Njoko’s mother told ONFR+, a news outlet for Francophone Ontarians, that she was the one who called 911, hoping police would be able to help their son, who had become distressed. She told ONFR+ that her son was likely afraid of the police due to an encounter with London police officers the week before.
On April 28. London police said a man attempted to steal a pizza delivery vehicle that was left running at 415 Hamilton Road. The theft was interrupted by the driver who confronted the would-be thief. Following a confrontation, the man fled the scene. Njoko was identified as a suspect arrested by London police officers a short time later. Police said he was taken to hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries, which were allegedly the result of the confrontation with the delivery driver. Njoko was facing charges of attempting to commit a dual procedure offence and obstructing a peace officer.
The SIU says it has three investigators and one forensic investigator assigned to the investigation into the circumstances surrounding Njoko's death.
