A Norfolk County OPP officer has been charged with manslaughter following a fatal police shooting in Turkey Point last summer.
The Special Investigations Unit announced Thursday that Director Joseph Martino has reasonable grounds to believe a criminal offence was committed in connection with the death of a 22-year-old man on August 12, 2025.
According to the SIU, Ontario Provincial Police officers on Lake Erie attempted to stop the operator of a personal watercraft during the evening hours of the incident. Investigators say the man did not stop, later docking the watercraft at the MacDonald Turkey Point Marina before fleeing into a wooded area on foot.
The SIU says an interaction occurred during the man’s subsequent arrest, during which an officer discharged a firearm. The 22-year-old was pronounced deceased at the scene.
As a result of the investigation, Provincial Constable Quade Odrowski of the Norfolk County OPP Detachment has been charged with one count of manslaughter under the Criminal Code.
The officer was arrested earlier Thursday at SIU headquarters and later released on an undertaking with conditions.
Following the SIU announcement, the Ontario Provincial Police Association released a statement saying it supports the officer and all members involved in the incident.
Association President David Sabatini said the officers cooperated fully with the SIU investigation and confirmed the association will provide legal counsel and support throughout the court proceedings.
“The upcoming judicial process will be long and stressful,” Sabatini said, while also encouraging affected officers to seek professional or peer mental health supports.
The SIU noted that because the matter is now before the courts, no further comment will be provided regarding the investigation.
