UPDATE: Woman reportedly injured in interaction with officer on horseback at Ottawa protest, SIU investigating

Ontario’s police watchdog is investigating two incidents related to the recent protests in Ottawa.

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) says a 49-year-old woman was reportedly seriously injured following an interaction with a Toronto police officer on a horse Friday, February 18 around 5:14 p.m. on Rideau Street and Mackenzie Avenue.

The police watchdog is asking anyone with information or video footage to contact them.

The SIU first reported the incident happened on Saturday, February 19, then clarified it occurred on Friday, the same day rumours circulated a woman was trampled to death by a horse.

Those rumours were amplified by a Fox News contributor in the United States but debunked by Ottawa police. The misinformation spread rapidly online.

In videos shared widely on social media, police officers on horseback can be seen riding through a crowd of people. Two individuals appear to get knocked to the ground.

An SIU spokesperson would not explicitly confirm to CityNews that Friday's incident being investigated was the same one shared on social media that triggered the misinformation. But the spokesperson did say there was only one reported trampling incident that day.

In a press conference on Saturday, February 21, Ottawa interim police chief Steve Bell confirmed that two protesters “did collide with the horses.”

He said the pair “fell down and immediately got back up, and started to again engage in their protest activities.”

Bell could not clarify if a bicycle had been thrown at a police officer's horse, though a tweet from Ottawa Police Service on Friday did indicate “a bicycle was thrown at the horse further down the line and caused the horse to trip. The horse was uninjured.”

WATCH: Bell addresses Friday's incident involving a police horse knocking down two protesters (question at 13:33)

Anti-riot weapon allegedly discharged

In the second incident being investigated by SIU, the police watchdog says a Vancouver police officer allegedly discharged an anti-riot weapon at individuals on Sparks Street and Bank Street on Saturday, February 19 around 7:18 p.m.

It says no injuries have been reported but is asking anyone who may have been hit by a projectile to contact them.

Six investigators and two forensic investigators have been assigned to the cases.

SIU Investigating Reported Serious Injury of Woman in Interaction with Police Horse, Less-Lethal Firearm Discharges at Ottawa Demonstrations
Witness? Contact us here: https://t.co/GKSIXZs3JB #ottnews @OttawaPolice https://t.co/qn2rz6J5cB
Francais: https://t.co/an2RR9ukid pic.twitter.com/ZJora8J4sr

— Special Investigations Unit (@SIUOntario) February 20, 2022

Editor's note: The SIU initially incorrectly stated the incident with the horse occurred on Saturday, February 19. The police watchdog has since corrected its release to say the incident occurred on Friday, February 18.