Canada Global (Web News) A young Black man is suing Toronto police, alleging that officers threw him to the ground, pressed a knee to his neck, shot him with a stun gun repeatedly while he was restrained, and wrongfully detained him, all while he begged them not to.
According to a statement of claim filed in the Superior Court of Justice, Hasani O’Gilvie, 27, was assaulted outside a North York grocery store on his way to class at the University of Toronto in August 2021 by three Toronto police officers.
According to the claim, which has yet to be proven in court, O’Gilvie was released after officers searched his bag and discovered identification proving what he told police.
More than $1 million in damages are being sought by O’Gilvie and his family.
His attorney and family claim that the case gives a human face to statistics demonstrating that Black individuals in Toronto experience disproportionately high rates of police force use.
The Toronto Police Association and the Toronto Police Service both state that the officers would not comment since the matter is pending in court and a police review tribunal, respectively.
