The Sarnia Police Service has lowered its flags to half-mast to honour Ontario Provincial Police Constable Tarun Bali, who was killed in the line of duty on June 9, 2026, in Hearst, Ontario. The 29-year-old officer was struck by a vehicle while trying to stop a suspect who had fled from a hospital.
Bali was on a temporary assignment with the James Bay Detachment, helping fill staffing gaps in the north. He normally worked out of the Dufferin Detachment in Orangeville and had been with the OPP for two and a half years.
The suspect, 18-year-old Justin Veronneau of Hearst, was being assessed under the Mental Health Act at a local hospital when he left and was later confronted by police. He now faces charges including first-degree murder, assaulting an officer, dangerous operation causing death, two counts of fleeing police, resisting arrest, and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle. He remains in custody and is set to appear in court on June 24, 2026.
In a statement, Sarnia Police said they are “saddened by the loss” and extended condolences to Bali’s family, friends, and OPP colleagues. Flags at the service have been lowered as a mark of respect.
Bali, who grew up in Brampton and previously worked for Kitchener’s bylaw enforcement team, is the second OPP officer to die on the job in recent months. Sgt. Brandon Malcolm was killed in a single-vehicle crash on Highway 401 in Cobourg in April 2026. Flags on federal buildings across Ontario were also lowered from June 10 through sunset on June 15 in Bali’s memory.
