Officer’s preliminary hearing underway in Sammy Yatim shooting death

A preliminary hearing was underway Tuesday for a Toronto police officer accused of shooting and killing a teenager on a TTC streetcar last summer.

The two-week hearing for Const. James Forcillo, 30, will determine if there’s enough evidence to go to trial on a charge of second-degree murder. There is a publication ban on the evidence.

Sammy Yatim, 18, was shot and killed on a streetcar on Dundas Street West, near Bathurst Street, on July 27, 2013.

The incident, which was captured on surveillance and cellphone videos, showed police firing multiple times at Yatim who was armed with a knife but alone on the streetcar.

Nine shots can be heard on the videos following shouts for Yatim to drop the knife. The final six appear to come after Yatim had already fallen to the floor of the streetcar.

The shooting death made headlines around the world and sparked fresh debate locally about police tactics.

Forcillo is out on $510,000 bail. He was suspended with pay.

In the wake of Yatim’s death, the Liberals said they would review officer training, equipment and how use of force incidents are reported.

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