Pakistani Schizophrenic Man Shot Dead By Canadian Police
Over the weekend, Ejaz Choudry, a 62-year-old Pakistani man suffering from a mental condition was shot down by the Canadian police and there has been revolts and demands for reforms in Ontario Police to take place.
He was killed when the local police responded to an emergency call of “checking on the well-being of a man”.
Mr Choudry ‘s family said in a press conference that he suffered from schizophrenia, was paranoid of the police. His nephew, Khizar Shahzad stated that on Saturday the daughter of Mr. Choudry had called for a non-emergency ambulance because her father had a “stroke.” When paramedics appeared north of Toronto at his building in Malton, Mr. Shahzad said they noticed he had a weapon and called the police.
In a media briefing, the SIU confirmed that at 5 pm local time Peel Regional Police arrived, and that they communicated with Mr Choudry, who was barricaded in his home.
The family reported arguing with police for permission to reach the house with them and make Mr Choudry more relaxed, arguing that he was bound to be paranoid.
The nephew, Shahzad, recalled insisting to the police saying, “I said, ‘Hey, he’s scared of your uniform, he’s not scared of you.”
In the statement to the media, the SIU stated, “Shortly after communication stopped, officers breached the door and entered the unit. An interaction occurred which included officers deploying a conducted energy weapon at the man, as well as firing plastic projectiles.” Ejaz Choudry was pronounced dead at the scene.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), the Urban Alliance on Race Relations (UARR) and Muslim Council of Peel held a news conference and reprimanded the justice system.
“The police need to be held to the same level of justice as the rest of us are. There is blood on their hands and the officer who pulled the trigger should never be trusted with a gun or badge again,” said UARR’s Mohammed Hashim. They further insisted that the officer who shot Ejaz Choudry be taken off the force “immediately.”
