Ontario’s police watchdog is investigating an incident that left a woman seriously injured after being knocked down by a police horse in downtown Ottawa on Friday.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) indicated on Sunday that they are looking into an incident between a Toronto Police Officer and a 49-year-old Ottawa woman who has reported “serious injury.” The incident occurred Friday evening at the intersection of Rideau Strteet and Mackenzie Avenue, close to the Chateau Laurier, when police officers mounted on horses attempted to disperse a large crowd of protestors.
Over the weekend, stories of an elderly woman with a walker being trampled to death by mounted police officers circulated social media. A video taken at the scene shows an older woman in a red jacket facing off with police officers before several officers on horseback rushed in to clear the demonstrators away.
The woman, dubbed “Roberta Paulsen” by some who shared the story, was reported to have died of her injuries. Ottawa Police released a statement on Twitter Friday, saying anyone who was knocked down was able to get up and walk away, and that they were “unaware of any injuries.” The Tweet also indicated that one of the demonstrators had thrown a bike at a horse in an attempt to injure it.
Sero's family members posted this update indicating that the woman is alive and recovering from her injuries. Photo by Courtney Snyder.
Interim Police Chief Steve Bell confirmed on Saturday that two protesters fell after mounted officers were sent in to disperse an “increasingly aggressive” crowd.
“Members of the mounted public order unit rode through the crowd, created separation and lowered the temperature,” says Bell. “What I can indicate is there was two… protesters who did collide with the horses, they fell down, they immediately got back up and started engaging in demonstration activity.”
The woman’s death was falsely reported on Fox News by contributor Sara Carter. In the days following, reports of the woman’s death went viral.
The woman in the video has since been identified by family members as Candice Sero, a member of Tyendinaga Mohawk First Nation. The clash with the police horse reportedly left her with a broken clavicle, which she was later treated for at the Monfort Hospital.
“Roberta Paulsen”, the name originally used to identify the woman, is believed to be a fictional name derived from the movie Fight Club. Ashli Babbit, a US veteran who died from a gunshot injury following the Capitol riots of Jan. 6, 2021, was also falsely named Roberta Paulsen by users on Reddit and 4chan.
An Instagram video shows Sero after the incident, seemingly in good spirits as she is being pushed in a wheelchair.
CHUO reached out to the SIU for comment regarding the investigation.
SIU representative Kristy Denette could not confirm whether or not the 49-year-old injured woman was Sero, but told CHUO that as of Monday, there is only one serious injury under investigation.
The SIU is also investigating a separate incident after members of the Vancouver police force discharged a “less-lethal” weapon at individuals near Sparks Street and Bank Street. No injuries have been reported pertaining to that incident.
The SIU is asking anyone with information, including video, to contact investigators.
Listen to the CHUO story below: