Date of publication: June 28, 2022 • 7 hours ago • 3 minutes reading • 10 comments The London police officer who fatally shot 29-year-old Justin Burasa in an alley in Richmond Row on October 28, 2021, was acquitted of any offense by the Special Investigation Unit. (Photo provided by the Bourassa family)
Content of the article
The parents of a man in Sarnia who was fatally shot by a London police officer ask why the police officer did not experience non-lethal violence before shooting their son “simply”.
Advertising 2
This ad has not been uploaded yet, but your article continues below.
Content of the article
The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) acquitted the police officer of crimes on October 28, 2021, the death of Justin Burasa, but the director of the police service asked questions about the actions of the officer involved in a report published on Monday after nine months. research. Police responded to a reported burglary involving three men near St. John and Mill at about 3:45 p.m. and followed Bourassa, 29, down an alley near Richmond Row, mistakenly thinking he was one of the suspects, the report said. Two police officers tried to arrest and handcuff Burasa, firing in a fight in which Burasa put an officer in “back naked drowning” for 45 to 60 seconds, forcing the other officer to shoot a shot in the neck near Burasa. , said SIU. .
Advertising 3
This ad has not been uploaded yet, but your article continues below.
Content of the article
“It is absolutely clear and worrying that the officer’s gun was aimed at his neck, and there was no indication of other forms of intervention such as Taser, pepper spray or cane,” Bourassa’s mother, Lorraine, said on Tuesday. Burasa’s shot had soot around him, suggesting the officer’s Glock pistol barrel probably touched Burasa’s clothes when the deadly shot was fired, the SIU report said. Members of the Special Investigation Unit are investigating on October 28, 2021 when a police officer shot and killed Justin Bourassa, 29, from Sarnia behind a square on Richmond Street, near Pall Mall Street in London. (Derek Ruttan / The London Free Press) SIU Director Joseph Martino noted that the officer in question did not appear to have used pepper spray, stun gun, bat or physical force before firing his pistol. But the officer did not speak to SIU investigators or hand over his notes, as is his legal right, so Martino said he could not be sure if non-lethal violence was used.
Advertising 4
This ad has not been uploaded yet, but your article continues below.
Content of the article
“We understand that there is a big gap in the report, because the officer in question did not have to show up and cooperate,” said Burasa’s father, Jean-Marc. Surveillance cameras from neighboring companies recorded Burasas and officers entering the alley, but no one recorded the deadly encounter, according to the SIU report. Bourassas, who met with Martino and the SIU chief investigator in the case, said they were surprised that London police were not wearing body cameras or had no cameras in their cruisers. The bereaved parents hope that a forensic investigation that has not yet been scheduled will provide more details about their son’s death. Forensic examinations, mandatory when a detainee dies from causes other than natural causes, investigate the manner and cause of a person’s death. A jury will make recommendations at the end, but will not take responsibility.
Advertising 5
This ad has not been uploaded yet, but your article continues below.
Content of the article
Martino also questioned whether police had a legal reason to investigate Burasa, who matched a general description of the burglary suspects, noting that the decision to handcuff him led to the fight. The Bourassas noted that the SIU report, released nine months after their son’s death, showed that he had no drugs or alcohol in his system, did not carry weapons and did not participate in the reported burglary. A member of the Special Investigation Unit checks for fingerprints on a London police vehicle on October 28, 2021, after a London police officer shot and killed Justin Burasa. (Derek Ruttan / The London Free Press) The SIU is investigating all cases of death, serious injuries, allegations of sexual assault and shootings with police officers. London police are conducting an internal investigation into the deadly shooting that will be presented to the police council, the seven-member civil service that oversees policing in the city. The force could not comment on the shooting and the SIU report while the review is ongoing, a police spokesman said Monday.
Advertising 6
This ad has not been uploaded yet, but your article continues below.
Content of the article
The police officer who shot Burasa remains in custody, a police spokesman said on Tuesday. The Free Press previously reported that the officer was acquitted of any wrongdoing by a separate SIU investigation after he shot a man armed with a knife outside a Dufferin Avenue apartment on July 27, 2021. It is not yet clear what Bourassa, who worked as a tennis coach and message therapist in Sarnia, in central London, did on the night he died. Burasa’s parents want to remember him for his love of tennis and his passion for teaching the sport to players of all skill levels. They have set up a foundation, love-all.ca, to provide youth tennis scholarships in Sarnia-Lambton. [email protected] Twitter.com/DaleatLFPress
Share this article on your social network
Advertising
This ad has not been uploaded yet, but your article continues below.
Advertising 1
This ad has not been uploaded yet, but your article continues below.
Sign up to receive a curated collection of links and snapshots from our award-winning breaking news coverage, in-depth analysis and unparalleled noon-day exploration features. By clicking the subscribe button, you agree to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300
Thank you for your registration!
A welcome email is on its way. If you do not see it, check the junk folder. The next issue of LFP Noon News Roundup will be in your inbox soon. We encountered a problem with your registration. PLEASE try again
Comments
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a vibrant but political forum for discussion and encourages all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour to monitor before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We’ve enabled email notifications — you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, an update on a comment thread that follows, or if a user follows the comments. Visit the Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to customize your email settings.
