Police identify 2 men charged after fight involving TTC officers at Union Station

Months after police charged two men following a dust-up with TTC officers in Union Station, the transit agency is launching a public review of the incident.

Though the TTC conducted an internal investigation after the Jan. 29 incident, TTC higher ups, including CEO Andy Byford, were in the dark until a video surfaced on social media on Tuesday.

Byford is hoping an independent investigation by the Professional Standards Unit of the Toronto police will illuminate the matter.

“It’s very important the entire circumstances be looked into,” Byford said at a news conference on Wednesday.

He said he hopes the newly-launched investigation will determine whether the decision to keep the incident off the public radar was correct.

The TTC’s internal review was not escalated because no formal complaint was filed against the transit officers, Byford said.

“Whenever an incident occurs involving fights… at the end of the day we don’t want our members of staff to get into a fight.”

The two officers were transit enforcement officers at the time of the incident. One has since transitioned to special constable status, which affords similar powers to police officers.

Both officers still work for the TTC but have been placed on administrative duty during the investigation.

WARNING: The video may be disturbing to some viewers. Discretion is advised.

The video shows two men involved in an altercation with transit enforcement officers at Union Station following a Toronto Maple Leafs game at the Air Canada Centre on Jan. 29. At times, the fight appears to be violent.

The reasons behind the fight are not clear, though the TTC said in a statement it did not involve a fare dispute.

Police have since charged the two men with assaulting the transit enforcement officers.

“The TTC wants to ensure any use of force by its officers is justified and that approved procedures are always followed,” the TTC said in a release.

“Public safety is the TTC’s first priority; public trust in those charged with maintaining that safety must follow.”

The TTC will also be providing police with its own CCTV footage, which captured the incident.

Jamie Gillman, 33, of Toronto and Russell Gillman, 63, of Toronto were charged with assault and uttering death threats. Jamie faces an additional assault charge.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today