Ontario Provincial Police reviewed Thunder Bay service's investigation of Stacy DeBungee
DeBungee's body was found in 2015 in the McIntyre River
Thunder Bay police say they're reviewing the findings made by the Ontario Provincial Police into the investigation city police did into the death of a Rainy River First Nations man in 2015, but it's not known when, those findings will be released.
In a statement released in response to concerns raised by First Nations leaders in northwestern Ontario on May 31, OPP Commissioner Vince Hawkes said, after a second request by Thunder Bay police, the provincial police service conducted a review of the investigation into Stacy DeBungee's death.
An OPP spokesperson told CBC News that request was made late in 2016. The provincial force turned down a similar request earlier that year, citing an ongoing review by the province's civilian police oversight body as a barrier.
On Wednesday, officials with the Thunder Bay police acknowledged they received the OPP's report within the past two weeks and that it wants to review the OPP's findings before making a decision whether to make them public.
Acting Chief of Police Sylvie Hauth added that conversations will have to be had with the OIPRD about releasing the provincial service's findings as DeBungee's death is also part of the police review director's investigation.
"We've just received it in the last two weeks," Hauth said of the report at a press conference Wednesday at police headquarters. "The report itself is being reviewed by our department and then conversations will be had with the director of the OIPRD."
A number of concerns have been raised about the investigation into DeBungee's death. When his body was found in the McIntyre River, police quickly ruled his death was not criminal.
After the second request made by Thunder Bay police, OPP said it contacted the Ontario Independent Police Review Director's (OIPRD) office, who informed provincial police that its review would not stand in the way of an OPP probe. Hawkes's statement said the OPP has provided Thunder Bay police with its findings and that it's up to the municipal police force whether to release them.