Killing of Sammy Yatim

Last updated
Death of Sammy Yatim
Sammy Yatim shooting.jpg
Yatim (left) standing near the front of the streetcar before being shot by Forcillo (right)
DateJuly 27, 2013 (2013-07-27)
TimeJust after 12:00AM
Location Dundas Street and Bellwoods Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Coordinates 43°39′03.3″N079°24′46″W / 43.650917°N 79.41278°W / 43.650917; -79.41278
ParticipantsOfficer James Forcillo (shooter)
DeathsSammy Yatim
ChargesSecond degree murder
Attempted murder
ConvictionsAttempted murder
Sentence6 years in prison, paroled after serving 2 years [1]
Litigation$8-million lawsuit filed against Toronto Police Service by Sammy Yatim's family [2]

The death of Sammy Yatim occurred early in the morning of July 27, 2013, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Yatim, an 18-year-old Toronto male armed with a switchblade knife, was shot at nine times, and was hit by eight of the shots fired by 30-year-old Toronto Police Service (TPS) officer James Forcillo. After being shot, while lying on the floor of the streetcar he was tasered. He later died from the injuries. [3] The incident occurred after Yatim, brandishing a 12 cm (4.7 in) switchblade knife in a Toronto streetcar, [4] advanced on a passenger, [5] threatened other passengers, and exposed himself. [6] The confrontation between Yatim and the police was recorded and footage of it was released publicly, prompting strong reactions across Canada. [7]

Contents

On August 19, 2013, Forcillo was charged with second-degree murder. On July 30, 2014, he was also charged with attempted murder. On January 25, 2016, he was found not guilty of second-degree murder and manslaughter, but guilty of attempted murder. [8] On July 28, he was sentenced to six years in prison. [1] The next day, he was granted bail pending an appeal of the court's sentence. [9] His appeal was denied and he was granted parole after serving 2 years in prison. This incident was the only time an on-duty Ontario officer was charged and convicted in the death of a person since the inception of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) in 1990. [10]

Shooting

At 10:30 pm on July 26, Sammy Yatim boarded a Toronto subway train [11] and transferred to a streetcar on route 505 Dundas around 11:45 pm. [12] Sometime afterwards, he drew his 12 cm (4.7 in) switchblade knife, [4] approached a passenger, [5] and told other passengers to remain on the streetcar, reportedly acting aggressively towards other passengers. [13] Frightened, the passengers promptly tried to escape. Yatim then revised his demands, ordering everyone off the streetcar. He began to approach the driver of the vehicle but stopped to shout obscenities at the crowd gathering outside. The driver of the streetcar remained at the controls until shortly before police arrived. [14]

A passenger and witness said that upon boarding the streetcar he initially noticed Yatim sitting at the back, across from a group of teenage girls. [14] He later heard giggling from the back of the streetcar followed by a scream, then saw Yatim brandishing a knife as the girls ran past him toward the front doors. [14] According to two other witnesses, Yatim seemed irate, mentally unstable, and oblivious to others' presence, holding his exposed genitals in one hand and a knife in the other. [15] [14]

Police arrived at the scene. At the front of the vehicle, Constable James Forcillo of the Toronto Police Service called for a Taser, believing the situation "could be contained". [13] According to videos of the incident, police ordered Yatim to drop the knife several times and warned him not to "take one step in this direction". After Yatim started advancing from the middle towards the front of the streetcar, Forcillo fired three shots, forcing Yatim to the ground. Forcillo claimed Yatim started to get up several seconds later but subsequent autopsy showed the initial volley had severed Yatim's spine, rendering him immobile and unable to get up. Forcillo fired six more shots. Approximately 30 seconds later, Forcillo's Sergeant, Dan Pravica tasered Yatim. [13] [16] [17]

It was later determined that eight of the nine shots fired hit Yatim, and the initial salvo of three shots had killed Yatim almost instantly. Surveillance video indicates that Yatim was lying on the deck when the last six shots were fired. [16] [18]

Yatim was transported and later pronounced dead at St. Michael's Hospital. [19]

Backgrounds

James Forcillo

James Forcillo is an ethnic Italian [20] [21] born December 30, 1982, in Montreal, Quebec. He was a constable with six years on the force at the time of the shooting. [22] He graduated from a justice program at East Los Angeles College in Monterey Park, California, United States, and received a psychology degree from York University in Toronto. He worked as a security guard in Toronto, and then was employed as a court services officer for three years. Up until Yatim's death, he worked as a patrol officer for three years. [21]

Sammy Yatim

Sammy Adib Yatim was an ethnic Assyrian born on November 5, 1994, in Aleppo, Syria. He emigrated to Toronto from Aleppo, Syria, with his family in 2008. [23] He had recently graduated from Brebeuf College School in North York, Toronto and had told a friend he intended to focus on his education. [23]

It is unclear what provoked Yatim's behaviour the night he was shot. His family said that he had no history of mental illness or violence. [24] He had "moderate to moderately high levels of ecstasy in his system at the time" of his death, according to the autopsy report. [25]

Aftermath

In July 2014, an $8-million lawsuit was filed against Toronto Police Service by Yatim's family. [2] The shooting and subsequent investigation and trial raised questions about police accountability in Toronto. [26]

SIU response and criminal trial

As the event was recorded on cellphone camera and posted on YouTube by Markus Grupp [27] and Martin Baron, [28] it received international coverage and attention as a potential use of excessive force by the Toronto Police. [29] It also triggered protests, with one temporarily blocking traffic on Dundas street downtown. [30]

On August 8, the Ontario Ombudsman, André Marin, launched a review of police tactics for defusing heated situations, in the wake of public outcry over Yatim's death. The decision was criticized by the Toronto Police Association as a grandstanding political move, and the review as too vague in its goals. [31]

Internal review

On August 12, former Toronto police chief Bill Blair announced he had enlisted former Associate Chief Justice of Ontario, Dennis O'Connor, to conduct an internal review of the use of force by police, and recommend ways police can better respond to situations involving the mentally unstable. [32] On August 28, however, O'Connor withdrew from the police probe due to a potential conflict of interest. [33]

There is no known investigation into the use of the Taser in the incident or into videos which allegedly show a police officer kicking shell casings inside the yellow police tape at the scene of the shooting. [16]

Arrest

On August 19, the Ontario Special Investigations Unit (SIU) announced that an arrest warrant had been issued for Forcillo. He was charged with second-degree murder. Forcillo surrendered on August 20. If convicted, the minimum sentence is life imprisonment without parole eligibility for at least ten years. [34]

Free on $510,000 bail, Forcillo was not required to appear at the next stage of his preliminary hearing on December 11. Toronto police stayed a disciplinary charge of discreditable conduct under the Ontario Police Services Act until the criminal trial has finished. [35] Despite this, Forcillo returned to work, but he did not have a firearm nor did he wear a TPS uniform. Michael McCormack responded by saying "the situation is not unusual for officers who have been suspended." [36]

On June 17, 2014, the preliminary inquiry ended with judge Richard LeDressay ordering Forcillo to stand trial in 2015. Evidence presented in the inquiry is under a publication ban. Forcillo continued to serve as a Toronto Crime Stoppers administrator. [37]

On July 30, 2014, Crown prosecutors added the charge of attempted murder "by shooting [Yatim] with a firearm and thereby wounding him." [38] Legal experts said the second charge was a highly unusual strategy. [39]

Trial

Lawyers on both sides of Forcillo's trial began making pre-trial motions in the Toronto Courthouse on September 14, 2015. Jury selection began on September 30, 2015. [40]

Prosecution

During the trial, presided over by Justice Edward Then, [8] the prosecution put forward the theory that Forcillo had over-reacted and "lost his cool" in his decision to fire at Yatim. [41] A former police chief testifying as a use of force expert said he believed Yatim provided no imminent threat requiring the use of deadly force by Forcillo. [42] In cross examination, the prosecution asked Forcillo why he had not put more effort into de-escalating the situation to avoid violence. Forcillo responded that pulling out his firearm in response to Yatim's knife was "a form of de-escalation". [43]

Defence

Forcillo argued that he was acting in self-defence both times he fired his weapon. [8] In testifying in his own defense, Forcillo explained that he followed standard police procedure, and believed Yatim to be a threat when he repeatedly ignored his orders to "drop the knife" and instead proceeded to advance towards him. [44] In support of the defense, a police college instructor testified that Forcillo was out of options the night he shot Yatim. [45] Passengers on the streetcar also testified their experiences of fear, terror and chaos when Yatim threatened them with his knife. [46]

Verdict and sentence

On January 25, 2016, the jury found Forcillo not guilty of second degree murder and manslaughter, but guilty of attempted murder. [8] The jury accepted the defence's argument that Forcillo was justified in firing the first three shots, but found him not justified in the second round of shots, thus guilty of attempted murder. [47] [48] The verdict meant Forcillo faced a four-year minimum sentence. [48] [49]

Forcillo challenged the minimum sentence law and his conviction, in arguments heard in May 2016. [50] After the defence was granted a postponement to prepare on May 16, the legal challenge began May 18, expected to last two or three days, followed by the sentencing hearing over another two. The defence sought house arrest, and the Crown sought eight to ten years in prison. [51] The hearing concluded on May 26, and on July 28, 2016, Forcillo was sentenced to six years in prison. The TPS also suspended him without pay. [1]

Appeal and bail

After one night in jail, Forcillo was granted bail pending an appeal of the court's decision to the Court of Appeal for Ontario. His lawyers were ordered to provide the court with an update on this process by November 9. [9] Forcillo's bail conditions required him to stay at the home of his then-wife and her parents. [52] Because Forcillo was deemed unlikely to commit further offences, his bail was extended in November 2016. [53]

In early November 2017, Forcillo applied for his bail to be modified so he could live with his new fiancée instead of at the home of his now ex-wife, and have his new fiancée added as a surety. Two days before the hearing for the bail modification was to be heard, provincial investigators found Forcillo at the residence of his fiancée in violation of his bail conditions. Forcillo was arrested the next day and charged with failing to comply with his recognizance, which has a maximum sentence of two years imprisonment. The attorney general filed an application with the Court of Appeal to revoke Forcillo's bail. Forcillo's bail hearing for the charge of failing to comply with his bail conditions was delayed pending the result of the application to revoke his bail, which was scheduled to be heard in court on November 30. In the meantime, Forcillo was remanded in custody and was in protective custody because he is a police officer. [52] The Court of Appeal for Ontario subsequently dismissed Forcillo's appeal on April 30, 2018, and upheld the original trial-imposed six-year sentence. [54]

On December 6, 2018, the Supreme Court of Canada denied Forcillo's application for leave to appeal his conviction. [55]

New charges

In November 2017, Forcillo was charged with breaching his bail conditions and then in December 2017, also faced one additional obstruction of justice charge related to allegedly committing perjury when signing an affidavit under oath. The affidavit had been filed in court when Forcillo was seeking a variance in his bail terms and was awaiting a hearing to address the variance request when he was found to be living in violation of his current bail terms by police investigators in November. According to documents filed with the court, Forcillo is alleged to have made "false statements under oath" when he stated in the affidavit that he was in full compliance with the terms of his bail and related house arrest. Forcillo was scheduled to appear in court on December 29. [56]

On December 29, 2017, Forcillo attended a bail hearing on the new charges of obstructing and perjury relating to his allegedly lying under oath in the signing of his affidavit. Again, his bail was revoked. [57]

In August 2019, Forcillo was granted day parole after serving 21 months of his six-year sentence. He was granted full parole on January 17, 2020. [58]

Related Research Articles

The Boxing Day shooting was a Canadian gang-related shooting which occurred on December 26, 2005, on Toronto's Yonge Street, resulting in the death of 15-year-old student Jane Creba. Six other bystanders—four men and two women—were wounded. The incident took place on one of Toronto's most crowded streets on the very busy shopping day, just a few blocks north of the Toronto Eaton Centre. The story generated national news coverage in Canada and influenced the then-underway 2006 federal election campaign on the issues of gun crime and street violence.

The 2006 Ontario terrorism case is the plotting of a series of attacks against targets in Southern Ontario, Canada, and the June 2, 2006 counter-terrorism raids in and around the Greater Toronto Area that resulted in the arrest of 14 adults and 4 youths . These individuals have been characterized as having been inspired by al-Qaeda.

The W. R. Myers High School shooting was a school shooting that occurred on April 28, 1999, at W. R. Myers High School in Taber, Alberta, Canada. The gunman, 14-year-old school dropout Todd Cameron Smith, walked into his school and began firing at students in a hallway, then went to the central hub of the school in front of the band room, killed one student and wounded another. It was the first fatal high-school shooting in Canada since the St. Pius X High School shooting, 24 years earlier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward Sapiano</span> Canadian defence lawyer (d. 2020)

Edward Sapiano was a Canadian defence lawyer, based in Toronto, Ontario, notable for his role in many high-profile criminal cases. He initiated Canada's largest criminal investigation of police, resulting in the arrest and prosecution of several Toronto police officers and was also involved in the so-called Toronto 18 terrorism trial. Edward Sapiano is also noted for demanding immediate DNA testing of his client shortly following the 1996 arrest of the suspected "North York serial rapist", leading to his client Jeremy Foster's full vindication, despite a false confession to the crime. In his quest to get illegal guns off the street, Sapiano also created the only lawyer-operated gun amnesty program available in North America, Piece Options. He is also known for starting a database of rulings and judgements to track alleged misconduct among Toronto-area officers which was then retrievable for cross-examinations in other cases by other lawyers. Edward Sapiano, after putting his practice on hold for two and a half years due to kidney failure, returned to court in 2017 for the Andrea White murder trial. Edward died on March 21, 2020, from complications of kidney disease and was cited to be the first lawyer in Canada to practise while undergoing 10 hours of daily dialysis. He was regularly featured by media outlets, including The Globe and Mail, CBC, and the New York Times commenting on criminal law issues.

The Musitano crime family is a 'Ndrangheta organized crime family based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, as well as Platì in Southern Italy and Buccinasco and Bareggio in Northern Italy. Founded by Angelo Musitano in Canada in the 1940s, the family was one of three centralized Mafia organizations in Hamilton, with the other two being the Luppino crime family and the Papalia crime family. Unlike the other two Hamilton families, the Musitanos did not form a strong alliance with the Buffalo crime family, staying closer to their 'Ndrangheta cell.

This is a list of notable overturned convictions in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murder of Jun Lin</span> 2012 murder in Montreal, Canada

In May 2012, Jun Lin, a Chinese university student, was fatally stabbed and dismembered in Montreal, Canada, by Luka Rocco Magnotta, who then mailed Lin's hands and feet to elementary schools and federal political party offices. After a video that showed Magnotta mutilating Lin's corpse was posted online, Magnotta fled Canada, becoming the subject of an Interpol Red Notice and prompting an international manhunt. In June 2012, he was apprehended in Berlin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Montreal shooting</span> Shooting at Quebec Premier post-election victory party

On the night of September 4, 2012, the Parti Québécois won the Quebec general election, with a minority government. Party leader Pauline Marois was partway through her victory speech at the Métropolis in downtown Montreal when Richard Henry Bain, in an attempt to assassinate her and "kill as many separatists as possible", approached the building and opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle, killing one stage technician and severely injuring another. After his rifle jammed, Bain lit a fire in the back of the building and was quickly tackled and apprehended by Montreal police. In 2016, Bain was convicted of second-degree murder along with three counts of attempted murder and was sentenced to twenty years in prison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murder of Odin Lloyd</span> 2013 murder in North Attleborough, Massachusetts

Odin Leonardo John Lloyd was a semi-professional American football player who was murdered by Aaron Hernandez, a former tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League, in North Attleborough, Massachusetts, on June 17, 2013. Lloyd's death made international headlines following Hernandez's association with the investigation as a suspect. Lloyd had been a linebacker for a New England Football League (NEFL) semi-professional football team, the Boston Bandits, since 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trial of Oscar Pistorius</span> Criminal trial

The trial of Oscar Pistorius for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp and several gun-related charges in the High Court of South Africa in Pretoria opened on 3 March 2014. Pistorius was a leading South African runner who won attention as an athlete with a disability competing at a high level, including at multiple Paralympic Games and the 2012 Summer Olympics. Steenkamp, a model, had been Pistorius's girlfriend for three months. In the early morning of Thursday, 14 February 2013, Steenkamp was shot and killed by Pistorius at his Pretoria home. Pistorius acknowledged that he shot Steenkamp, but he said that he mistook her for an intruder. Pistorius was taken into police custody and was formally charged with murder in a Pretoria court on 15 February 2013. The entire trial was broadcast live via audio, and parts of the trial were also broadcast live via television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Moncton shootings</span> Shootings of five police in Canada

The Moncton shootings were a string of shootings that took place on June 4, 2014, in Moncton, in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. The perpetrator, Justin Bourque, a 24-year-old Moncton resident, walked around the northern area of the city and shot five officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), killing three and severely injuring two. A manhunt for Bourque was launched and continued overnight and into June 5. On June 6, Bourque was found and taken into custody, ending a manhunt that lasted over 28 hours. The shooting was both Moncton's first homicide since 2010 and the deadliest attack on the RCMP since the Mayerthorpe tragedy in 2005, which left four RCMP officers dead. Bourque intended for the shootings to trigger a rebellion against the Canadian government. He was sentenced to 75 years in prison, with no eligibility for parole until after serving 25 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Killing of Walter Scott</span> 2015 fatal shooting in North Charleston, South Carolina

On April 4, 2015, Walter Scott, a 50-year-old black man, was fatally shot by Michael Slager, a local police officer in North Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Slager had stopped Scott for a non-functioning brake light. Slager was charged with murder after a video surfaced showing him shooting Scott from behind while Scott was fleeing, which contradicted Slager's report of the incident. The racial difference led many to believe that the shooting was racially motivated, generating a widespread controversy.

Dellen Millard and Mark Smich are two Canadian convicted murderers from Toronto, Ontario, who together murdered Laura Babcock and Tim Bosma in separate killings in July 2012 and May 2013 respectively. They were both convicted of the murders in December 2017 and June 2016, respectively. Millard has also been convicted individually of first-degree murder for the 2012 death of his father, Wayne Millard, which was initially deemed a suicide, but was later reinvestigated. The guilty verdict for that charge was delivered on September 24, 2018.

On April 29, 2017, Jordan Edwards, a 15-year-old African-American boy, was murdered by police officer Roy Oliver in Balch Springs, Texas, within the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Edwards was shot in the back of the head while riding in the front passenger's seat of a vehicle driving away from officers that attempted to stop it. He was unarmed during the encounter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Killing of Justine Damond</span> 2017 police killing in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

On July 15, 2017, Justine Damond, a 40-year-old Australian-American woman, was fatally shot by 31-year-old Somali-American Minneapolis Police Department officer Mohamed Noor after she had called 9-1-1 to report the possible assault of a woman in an alley behind her house. Occurring weeks after a high-profile manslaughter trial acquittal in the 2016 police killing of Philando Castile, also in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, the shooting exacerbated existing tensions and attracted national and international press.

The Danzig Street shooting, or Danzig shooting, was a gang-related shooting that occurred on the evening of 16 July 2012 at a block party on Danzig Street in the West Hill neighbourhood of Toronto, Canada. Rival gang members Folorunso Owusu, 17, and Nahom Tsegazab, 19, along with an unidentified third gunman, opened fire in a crowd of two hundred people. This resulted in the deaths of Joshua Yasay and Shyanne Charles, and the injury of twenty-four others, making it the worst mass shooting in Toronto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murder of Botham Jean</span> 2018 murder case in Texas

On the night of September 6, 2018, 26-year-old accountant Botham Jean was murdered in Dallas, Texas, by off-duty Dallas Police Department patrol officer Amber Guyger, who entered Jean's apartment and fatally shot him. Guyger, who said that she had entered Jean's apartment believing it was her own and believed Jean to be a burglar, was initially charged with manslaughter. The absence of a murder charge led to protests and accusations of racial bias because Jean—an unarmed black man—was killed in his own home by a white off-duty officer who had apparently disregarded police protocols. On November 30, 2018, Guyger was indicted on a charge of murder. On October 1, 2019, she was found guilty of murder and was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment the following day. The ruling was upheld on appeal in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derek Chauvin</span> American murderer and former police officer (born 1976)

Derek Michael Chauvin is an American former police officer who murdered George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. On May 25, 2020, Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for about nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and lying face down on the street, calling out "I can't breathe," during an arrest made with three other officers. Chauvin was dismissed by the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) on May 26 and arrested on May 29. The murder set off a series of protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul, across the United States and around the world.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Lupton, Andrew (28 July 2016). "Toronto officer sentenced to 6 years in streetcar shooting death of teen". CBC News. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
  2. 1 2 Hough, Jennifer. Sammy Yatim’s family sues Toronto police for $8-million for using ‘excessive’ force the night of streetcar shooting, National Post , July 23, 2014.
  3. Alamenciak, Tim (August 24, 2013). "Who was Sammy Yatim?". The Star. Retrieved 2014-07-30.
  4. 1 2 National Post Staff Posted: November 20, 2015 Last Updated: Jan 25 2:33 PM ET (November 20, 2015). "A violent end: Tracing Sammy Yatim's standoff with Toronto police:The Final Minutes:How it all began; National Post". nationalpost.com. Retrieved 2016-01-31.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. 1 2 CBC News Posted: Dec 22, 2015 11:54 AM ET Last Updated: Dec 22, 2015 1:17 PM ET (December 22, 2015). "Sisters feared knife-wielding Sammy Yatim aboard streetcar, court hears; Canadian Broadcasting Corporation". cbc.ca. Retrieved 2016-01-31.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. "Sammy Yatim: 'This is a tragedy for all involved,' family says | Toronto Star". Thestar.com. July 30, 2013. Retrieved 2013-08-02.
  7. O'Neil, Lauren. "Sammy Yatim murder charge sparks strong reaction among Canadians - Your Community". CBC News. Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Hasham, Alyshah (2016-01-25). "Toronto police officer found not guilty of second-degree murder and manslaughter after firing two volleys of shots at knife-wielding 18-year-old in empty streetcar". The Toronto Star. ISSN   0319-0781 . Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  9. 1 2 "Toronto police officer guilty in fatal streetcar shooting released on bail pending appeal". CBC News. 29 July 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  10. Long, Jamie (2016-07-30). "Why video now plays a major role in probes of deaths linked to police". CBC News. para. 6. Retrieved 2016-07-30.
  11. Alamenciak, Tim. For Sammy Yatim’s father, ‘horrible nightmare’ continues, The Hamilton Spectator , July 31, 2014.
  12. Mehta, Diana. Sammy Yatim shooting death on Toronto streetcar shown in court, CTV News , October 21, 2015
  13. 1 2 3 Visser, Josh (August 19, 2013). "Toronto police officer charged with second degree murder in streetcar shooting death of Sammy Yatim". The National Post . Retrieved August 20, 2013.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Torstar, Staff (2013-07-31). "Tourist recounts Sammy Yatim's behaviour on Toronto streetcar | Metro". Metronews.ca. Retrieved 2013-08-04.
  15. "Sammy Yatim 'wasn't stable,' says witness on streetcar | Toronto Star". Thestar.com. 2013-07-18. Retrieved 2013-08-02.
  16. 1 2 3 Warmington, Joe (August 22, 2013). "8 of 9 shots fired at Sammy Yatim hit the teen". Ottawa Sun . Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  17. Kari, Shannon (December 16, 2015). "Toronto officer says he tased Sammy Yatim to get medical help faster". The Globe and Mail . Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  18. New video appears to show Sammy Yatim already on ground during last six shots, MetroNews.ca , July 30, 2013.
  19. King, Robin Levinson; Keung, Nicholas (2013-07-28). "Sammy Yatim, 18, is identified by friends as the person slain after late-night knife confrontation". The Toronto Star. ISSN   0319-0781 . Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  20. "The Killing of Sammy Yatim". Toronto Life.
  21. 1 2 "A look at the life of James Forcillo, the officer charged in Toronto's streetcar shooting", by Kathryn Blaze Carlson, The Globe and Mail
  22. Tepper, Sean (July 29, 2013). "Sammy Yatim: Officer in streetcar shooting suspended". Toronto Star . Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  23. 1 2 CBC News (July 31, 2013). "Toronto streetcar shooting changes 2 lives forever". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  24. Pagliaro, Jennifer (August 19, 2013). "Sammy Yatim: Timeline of events after teen shot dead". Toronto Star . Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  25. The Toronto Star , October 20, 2015, Murder trial begins for Const. James Forcillo in Sammy Yatim shooting
  26. Levin, Jamie (July 30, 2013). "Sammy Yatim shooting puts police accountability front and centre?". The Star. Retrieved 2014-12-18.
  27. Markus Grupp (2013-07-27), [New video] Toronto Police shoot Sammy Yatim on TTC street car , retrieved 2019-06-28
  28. Martin Baron (2013-07-26), Police shoot 18 year old Sammy Yatim at Bellwoods and Dundas, Toronto , retrieved 2019-06-28
  29. "Yatim family 'heart-broken, confused' over teen's death - Toronto - CBC News". Cbc.ca. July 30, 2013. Retrieved 2013-08-02.
  30. "Renewed protests planned in Toronto over Sammy Yatim shooting", by Vidya Kauri, The Globe and Mail
  31. Gallant, Jacques (9 August 2013). "Sammy Yatim shooting: Ombudsman calls look at de-escalation techniques a 'win-win'". Toronto Star . Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  32. Bosanac, Alexandra (12 August 2013). "Toronto police chief enlists retired judge to examine police use of force after fatal streetcar shooting". National Post . Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  33. Carlson, Kathryn Blaze (28 August 2013). "O'Connor withdraws from police probe amid controversy over his appointment". The Globe and Mail . Toronto. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  34. Criminal Code
  35. "Disciplinary charge of cop in Sammy Yatim death on hold". CityNews.
  36. "Sammy Yatim killing: Const. James Forcillo back at work with TPS - Toronto - CBC News". CBC News.
  37. "Toronto cop James Forcillo to go on trial for second-degree murder in streetcar shooting of Sammy Yatim", by The Canadian Press, via The National Post
  38. "Toronto officer faces extra charge in Sammy Yatim shooting case", by The Canadian Press, via The Globe and Mail
  39. Kari, Shannon (24 September 2014). "Attempted murder charge in Forcillo trial continues to puzzle legal experts". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  40. "Trial begins for officer charged with murder in Sammy Yatim shooting". CP24. 14 September 2015. Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  41. Gallant, Jacques (2015-11-30). "Yatim's great mistake was 'mocking you and thinking he could get away with it,' Crown attorney tells accused in court Monday". The Toronto Star. ISSN   0319-0781 . Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  42. "Use-of-force expert critical of police tactics during Sammy Yatim shooting". 18 November 2015.
  43. "James Forcillo tells court pointing firearm at Sammy Yatim was 'a form of de-escalation'". CBC News. Canadian Press. Nov 27, 2015.
  44. "James Forcillo says Sammy Yatim was unafraid, 'unreasonable' before fatal shooting". 26 November 2015.
  45. "Police college instructor says Const. James Forcillo out of options night he shot Sammy Yatim". thestar.com. 21 December 2015.
  46. "Sammy Yatim murder trial hears witness tell of terror, chaos on streetcar". thestar.com. 22 December 2015.
  47. "Toronto constable guilty of attempted murder in 2013 streetcar shooting of teen". CBC News. Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  48. 1 2 Kari, Shannon (2016-01-25). "Toronto Const. James Forcillo guilty of attempted murder of Sammy Yatim". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  49. Hasham, Alyshah (2016-01-25). "Forcillo guilty of attempted murder in shooting death of Sammy Yatim". The Toronto Star. ISSN   0319-0781 . Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  50. HASHAM, ALYSHAH (27 January 2016). "Forcillo's 5-year mandatory minimum could go to Supreme Court - The Star". The Toronto Star.
  51. "Sentencing hearing postponed for Const. James Forcillo, convicted in streetcar shooting", by Canadian Press, via CBC
  52. 1 2 Powell, Betsy (November 17, 2017). "Investigators' visit to apartment led to Const. James Forcillo's arrest". The Toronto Star . ISSN   0319-0781 . Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  53. McGillivray, Kate (November 9, 2016). "Bail extended for Const. James Forcillo, convicted in streetcar shooting death of Sammy Yatim". CBC News . Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  54. R. v. Forcillo, 2018 ONCA 402 (30 April 2018), Court of Appeal (Ontario,Canada)
  55. R. v. Forcillo, 2018 CanLII 116610
  56. "Const. James Forcillo faces new charges including perjury", by Alina Bykova and Betsy Powell, via The Toronto Star. Retrieved December 22, 2017
  57. Toronto cop James Forcillo appears in court for attempt to obstruct justice charge, The Globe and Mail , (December 29, 2017)
  58. "Toronto officer who shot Sammy Yatim in 2013 on empty streetcar granted parole - Toronto | Globalnews.ca".