Yatim family cancels news conference
Posted August 20, 2013 11:27 pm.
Last Updated January 21, 2016 2:19 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The family of Sammy Yatim has cancelled a news conference scheduled for Wednesday.
“While we understand your interest and concern for us, we are trying to heal and regain some sense of normalcy in our lives,” the family said in a statement.
The news conference had been scheduled to take place at the Ontario Bar Association.
The cancellation came on the same day Toronto Const. James Forcillo was granted bail after being formally charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of 18-year-old Yatim.
The police officer was charged with second-degree murder after Ontario’s police watchdog said Monday there were “reasonable grounds” to charge him.
On July 27, Yatim was killed by police after allegedly waving a knife earlier at passengers on a streetcar in the west end. The incident was captured on cellphone and surveillance video on which nine shots can be heard — seconds after shouts for Yatim to drop the knife.
The story made headlines around the world and called Toronto police tactics into question.
Read the Yatim family’s complete statement below.
We know you wanted to speak to our family and we appreciate your patience. Please understand that this has struck our family to the core. While we understand your interest and concern for us, we are trying to heal and regain some sense of normalcy in our lives. While we know you have questions we simply do not have the energy right now to comment. We thank all those who have been supporting us and guiding us through this time and we ask that you please respect that we need to save what energy we have left right now in our fight for justice for Sammy.
The Yatim Family
With files from The Canadian Press and CityNews.ca staff
