Toronto teenager Sammy Yatim is shown in a photo from the Facebook page "R.I.P Sammy Yatim." Photo: Canadian Press/handout The family of Sammy Yatim, the 18-year-old who was shot eight times by cops on a Toronto streetcar, is suing the police service for excessive force resulting in his death last summer.
The Toronto Star reports the teen’s mother and sister filed a lawsuit against Toronto Police chief Bill Blair, the Toronto Police Services Board, Const. James Forcillo and two other officers in February.
Forcillo faces a second-degree murder charge for Yatim’s death and was assigned to administrative duties following the incident July 27 of last year.
Toronto lawyer Julian Falconer, well known as an advocate for victims of police violence, prepared the lawsuit on behalf of the family that claims police used force that was “excessive and unreasonable,” according to the statement of claim. Videos of the incident showed officer Forcillo firing nine bullets at the teenager, who was alone on an empty streetcar holding a small knife. Eight of those nine bullets hit Yatim, followed by a Taser used by a second officer.
Yatim’s shooting death led to an outpouring of public outrage from Toronto residents, with many demanding “Justice for Sammy” at several large demonstrations. Police chief Blair tasked former Supreme Court Justice Frank Iacobucci to lead a review into police use-of-force guidelines after Yatim’s death last year, set to be released Thursday. Iacobucci’s report, titled “Police Encounters with People in Crisis,” will have 84 recommendations for police.
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