Systemic Police Violence: Northern Edition

Lest we think that only the U.S. police engages in grotesque murders of people of color, let’s travel a bit north into Canada:

The province’s police watchdog is investigating the death of a 62-year-old man who was shot by a Peel Region police officer in Mississauga on Saturday evening. 

In a statement released on Sunday, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said that officers were called to an apartment unit at 3425 Morning Star Dr., near Goreway Drive, at about 5 p.m. to “check on the well-being of a man.”

Peel police Const. Sarah Patten said the initial call reported that the man was suffering from a medical condition and not taking his medication. 

Patten said the man, who was alone in the unit, was in a “state of crisis” and believed to have weapons on him in his residence.

Muhammed Choudry said the victim was his uncle and he suffered from schizophrenia and other illnesses.

“He was a harmless man,” he said, adding that his uncle was “not a threat.”

…

Once police entered the apartment unit, “an interaction occurred which included officers deploying a conducted energy weapon at the man, as well as firing plastic projectiles from an Anti-Riot Weapon ENfield,” the SIU release said.

“When these had no effect, an officer discharged a firearm and the man was struck.”

He died at the scene shortly after.

Peel police told CBC Toronto Sunday that a crisis negotiator was contacted, but officers decided to enter the victim’s residence without the presence of a negotiator. Police could not confirm if a crisis negotiator ever arrived at the scene. 

Huh, funny how that worked out.