SIU investigating death of male pedestrian who fell off 401 bridge into north Toronto golf course

Ontario's police watchdog is investigating the death of a male pedestrian who fell from a bridge near the Don Valley Golf Course overnight Tuesday following a "brief interaction" with a police officer.

Officers from Ontario Provincial Police's highway safety division were called to Highway 401 and Yonge Street shortly before 2 a.m. for reports of a man walking in the eastbound collectors lanes.

When they arrived at the scene, the Special Investigations Unit said, an officer "engaged" with the pedestrian, who fled by running across four lanes of traffic into the express lanes of the 401.

The man fell through an open separation on the bridge into a wooded area in the Don Valley Golf Course, according to an SIU news release.

Emergency responders provided first aid to the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene around 5 a.m. Investigators have not yet released the victim's identity.

The OPP shut down the eastbound collectors lanes of Highway 401 between Avenue Road and Yonge Street for several hours while the coroner and forensic investigators conducted a probe. This section of Canada's busiest highway reopened around 6 a.m. Operations at the golf course are running as usual today.

SIU spokesperson Monica Hudon confirmed the agency had been notified of the incident this morning.

Two SIU investigators and two forensic investigators have been assigned to probe the incident.

The SIU's mandate is to investigate any police actions that result in death, serious injuries or allegations of sexual assault.