Police in the Canadian city of Toronto have come under fire for the fatal shooting of a teenager whose family members say suffered from mental illness, Press TV reports.
Sammy Yatim, 18, was shot by a law enforcement officer while he was alone holding a small knife on an empty streetcar on July 27. The whole incident was recorded by a witness and was later posted on YouTube.
The footage shows a total of nine shots being fired at Yatim, who died instantly.
The 18-year-old’s death has sparked public outrage and several rallies have been held with the participation of large numbers of people including the Yatim family members, calling for justice.
The Yatim family has also criticized the police force for its brutal handling of the case with Sammy’s uncle saying that he had a history of mental illness.
“Since when does a scrawny 110-pound-something teenager become a threat to a dozen or so brawny policemen… that they felt that they had no other choice but to use lethal force?” said the slain teen’s uncle, Jim Yatim.
City Councilor Janet Davis has also harshly criticized the police killing, saying, “It looks as though this young man was shot when he was alone in the streetcar and surrounded by police officers.”
“Was there nothing else that could be done to save his life?” Davis stated.
The Special Investigations Unit of Ontario has launched an investigation into the case. However, Ontario Federation of Labor is demanding an independent investigation into police training.
This is not the first time Toronto police have been criticized for using excessive force. In 2012, officers shot dead a mentally-ill man, who was wearing a hospital gown and holding two pairs of scissors on the street.
MR/HSN
Canada police under fire for brutality
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