Friday, April 8, 2016

Two knife threats, two videos: Ohio cop had strikingly different approach than James Forcillo


A recent police shooting in Ohio involving a man armed with a knife bears similarities to the Sammy Yatim shooting in Toronto in 2013 — as well as striking differences.

Yatim’s shooting was captured on bystanders’ cellphones and surveillance footage inside the streetcar where he died, while the shooting of the Ohio man, Javier Pablo Aleman, is caught on the police officer’s body camera.

Yatim died; Aleman survived.

In the process of comparing video footage from the two shootings, the Star spoke with use-of-force expert Steve Summerville, a former Toronto police staff sergeant and president of a private security training firm called Stay Safe Instructional Programs.

Yatim, 18, was holding a knife on a deserted streetcar when he was killed in 2013 by Toronto police Const. James Forcillo.

The officer was acquitted of second-degree murder by a jury, but convicted of attempted murder for a second volley of shots fired at Yatim as he lay dying on the streetcar floor. Forcillo will be sentenced in May. The standoff between Yatim and Forcillo took less than 50 seconds, his trial was told.

The Ohio officer will not be charged in the March 29 shooting, it was announced this week. Instead, Aleman will be charged with attempted murder.  (more...)


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