BREAKING: New eyewitness video shows Toronto-area police officers repeatedly beating an elderly black couple in their 60's, to point of nearly becoming unconscious.
The couple had just left the hospital.
No charges have been laid.
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The couple had just left the hospital.
No charges have been laid.
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You can hear the grandmother shrieking in the background as police beat her husband. He, in turn, screams “murder, murder!"
A hospital official threatens the eyewitness and demands he stop recording.
He doesn’t.
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A hospital official threatens the eyewitness and demands he stop recording.
He doesn’t.
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The officers – both white – repeatedly elbowed and punched the man in the head. Medical reports show he suffered cuts and bruises on his eyes and back of his head.
The officers’ defense? He was reaching for their gun 🤔
(CC @faisalkutty)
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The officers’ defense? He was reaching for their gun 🤔
(CC @faisalkutty)
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This security video shows the full sequence of events. The couple had arrived at a hospital in Ajax because the grandmother wasn’t feeling well.
Due to a long wait, they say they asked if they could leave, and were told yes.
There was an argument as they were leaving.
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Due to a long wait, they say they asked if they could leave, and were told yes.
There was an argument as they were leaving.
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I’ve been working on this story since last year, when I first obtained the video. The incident itself happened in late 2018. The couple waited this long to go public because they thought justice would have been served by now.
No charges have been laid.
And there’s more.
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No charges have been laid.
And there’s more.
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Police initially charged the man, but a judge dropped the case after seeing the video and hearing from eyewitnesses.
If the video didn’t exist, an elderly grandfather in his 60’s could be in jail right now – for being punched/elbowed himself by police officers.
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If the video didn’t exist, an elderly grandfather in his 60’s could be in jail right now – for being punched/elbowed himself by police officers.
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The couple themselves filed a complaint with Ontario’s police oversight body. It appears the investigation was carried out by a neighboring police department (York Regional Police).
That’ right: Police investigating police.
They dismissed all the claims.
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That’ right: Police investigating police.
They dismissed all the claims.
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For its part, the hospital says the couple were admitted due to a mental health crisis, which mandated that they not let the couple leave the premises.
Except the grandfather appears to have never been a patient, only his wife, who came because she wasn’t feeling well.
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Except the grandfather appears to have never been a patient, only his wife, who came because she wasn’t feeling well.
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Finally, there is LOTS of documentation around this, from medical/police reports to photos of the grandfather’s injuries.
Police apparently may still have the officers' bodycam videos.
They should release the videos, in the public interest.
END
Police apparently may still have the officers' bodycam videos.
They should release the videos, in the public interest.
END
To clear up any confusion, this happened in Ajax, which is part of the Greater Toronto Area, but not within Toronto itself.
