Accused drug dealer injured in ‘interaction’ with Barrie police leading to charge for Brampton man

Ontario’s police oversight agency is investigating the arrest of an accused drug dealer from Brampton who was injured in an “interaction” with officers in Barrie.

The takedown happened on July 16 while officers with the Barrie Police say they saw a possibly armed male suspect in the area of Meridian Place.

Police say they were on the scene for an unrelated investigation when they spotted the man from Brampton who was allegedly selling drugs in the downtown area.

Officers arrested the 21-year-old man from Brampton and say he was in possession of a loaded semi-automatic firearm, an undisclosed quantity of Canadian currency and suspected cocaine and fentanyl.

The accused has been hit with a trafficking charge and faced “a slew” of firearms, drug and other charges, police said. His identity has not been released.

But investigators say there was “an interaction with police” during the arrest where the accused suffered an injury. No details about the injury or the “interaction” have been shared by police.

Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit was alerted to the suspect’s injury and has launched an investigation. The SIU website lists the ongoing investigation as “custody injury,” and the file is currently under review.

The SIU is a civilian law enforcement agency investigating police incidents where there has been death, serious injury, the discharge of a firearm, or allegations of sexual assault.