Family rejects official report

The family of a teen shot to death by a Toronto police officer is rejecting the finding of an investigation that concluded the shooting was "legally justified" because the youth was armed with a knife.

"They are not going to let it go," lawyer Barry Swadron said yesterday, on behalf of Jeffrey Reodica's family. "This decision is not a reflection of what they know."

The family is pleased the Ontario coroner's office will hold an inquest, Swadron said. "There's lots for a coroner's inquest to scrutinize."

Yesterday, the province's Special Investigations Unit released the results of its 16-week investigation into what led to an undercover officer shooting the 17-year-old three times — in the side, in the back above his right hip and in the back between the shoulders — during an altercation in Scarborough last May 21. He died three days later.

In a news release, the SIU offered its account of what happened in the late afternoon on Benleigh Dr. near Bellamy and Lawrence Aves. The SIU is a civilian agency that investigates incidents involving police that result in serious injury or death.

"The officers were responding to what can objectively be viewed as a dangerous situation — emotions were high, weapons were involved and group mentality was at play," said the release, quoting SIU interim director James Cornish.

"The subject officer was attempting to effect a lawful arrest, and in doing so the young man decided to resist, for reasons that will be known only to him. The existence of the knife at the scene, in the position and state it was discovered, provides powerful support that the youth attempted to get to his feet and, while doing so, struck out at the officer with the knife."

The SIU said a pathologist was not surprised he was shot in the back, since the wounds indicate "a turning motion of the youth or a circling motion by the shooter, or both."

Two SIU investigators told the youth's family of the decision in Swadron's office yesterday. They left grim-faced.

No one answered the door at the family's home yesterday. But a few blocks away at his bungalow near the site of the shooting, Adonis Reodica said the SIU's conclusion "is just another injustice to my nephew.

"I don't have any more words to say," he said, fighting back tears.

The SIU released an appendix with the news release containing responses to "some of the concerns raised by the family during the investigation."

Among them were conflicting eyewitness accounts. SIU investigators, who interviewed 31 civilian and five police witnesses, acknowledged there was "by no means unanimity amongst the witnesses," some of whom were "either directly involved or watching a very dynamic and upsetting scenario unfold."

According to the SIU, the trouble began a day earlier, when white and Filipino youths clashed on a basketball court at St. Rose of Lima school and one Filipino youth was injured. "Threats from both groups were exchanged."

Neither the SIU nor coroner's office identified Reodica yesterday, citing the Youth Criminal Justice Act, but Swadron issued a media release identifying him yesterday.

The next day, about 19 Filipino youths, including the teen, headed to the school "to exact revenge," dressed in black and "armed with baseball bats and extendible batons." The white youths, "who were also reportedly armed with baseball bats and hockey sticks," ran, and the Filipino youths gave chase, the SIU release says.

At 4:09 p.m., a youth called 911 from his cellphone "to report he was being chased by a large group of youths armed with bats and knives." Hiding in a backyard, he was vomiting after running so hard, the SIU said.

Minutes later, a police dispatcher broadcast an all-units call, but no units were available, according to the release. Police received calls from nine other witnesses, "reporting anywhere from 10 to 50 youths chasing someone and armed with bats, crutches, metal batons and other weapons."

At 4:17, two plainclothes officers responded in an unmarked car. The SIU didn't name them, but they were Detective Constable Dan Belanger and Detective Allen Love from 41 Division.

The release then details interactions the officers had with the youths, noting that they identified themselves as police three times. As Belanger drove toward a group of youths, he saw one carrying a rock, the SIU said. "Six witnesses to the incident confirmed that the young man was carrying a rock when confronted by the subject officer." That youth, Reodica, complied with his demand to drop the rock, but not to his request to stop walking away.

"The subject officer walked in front of the youth, grabbed him and told the young man he was under arrest for possession of a dangerous weapon," said the release.

During an ensuing struggle, the youth, who had been pinned on the ground by the officer's knee, broke free and was "getting up on his feet" when he struck out with his left hand. The subject officer "yelled out that the youth had a knife," and, believing it had struck him on the right leg, fired three shots. Reodica was 1.2 to 1.8 metres away.

The SIU said it found "incontrovertible evidence" that he had a knife, "which was out during the incident." The SIU described it as a prohibited "flick-knife," but Swadron said the family "is not satisfied" the teen had a knife. He noted that neither officer was hurt.

How Jeffrey Reodica was shot: An eyewitness account

As the real story behind Jeffrey Reodica's mysterious death slowly unfolds, many questions have been left unanswered. Willie Reodica, Jeffrey's father already appealed to all potential witnesses to come forward and help them. Since the incident happened on Friday, May 21, up to the time of his death on Monday night, several versions have come out in the open, some of them with conflicting.

All of Jeffrey's friends have been advised not to talk to anybody about the incident so it was difficult for us, in the media to talk to them too. While following up the story, I was shown Jeffrey's school. Then, by chance, I met the boy who was right there when the incident happened. He said he was scared to talk to anybody especially the authorities. With assurance for his safety, we were able to convince him to ride with us inside the car so we can ask him more questions. I realized that people with us in te car were tense. So was the boy. I became nervous too especially a young lady who was always checking someone if was following us. While inside the car, we were always on the look out of any mysterious van.

This boy, who refused to be identified, was with Jeffrey at the time of the shooting. He saw vividly how Jeffrey was shot and narrated how it really happened.

This was his account:

It all started with a scuffle inside a basketball court on that Thursday, May 20. White teen-agers approached and tried to bully two members of our group.They got our ball and did not want to return it to us. When one of our members tried to get it back, one White boy hit him in the face and pushed him.

Another white boy also physically assaulted the second Filipino boy. More so, they were told to "go back to the Philippines and eat rice". In the hope not to make things worse, we just let it pass. However, deep inside, the two boys did not want to just let it pass.

The following day, Friday, we thought of retaliating. As my friends and I were walking along towards a residential area, the same group of white boys were heading towards us with baseball bats. They thought it was just the three of us. However, some of my friends joined us so the group ran away. We chased them arming ourselves with only rocks in our hands. We ran around the neighborhood until Jeffrey who was standing across the street saw us. He asked us "what's up?". We told him that we want to hit back on these kids who humiliated us on Thursday. Jeffrey, upon knowing who the members of the other group were, told us that he would also help. He said that these were the same group who physically hurt his cousin. Honestly, we felt the need to retaliate because of what happened that Thursday.

Since there were eight of us now, we split our group. We searched the neighborhood but we could not find anyone. Finally, one of my friends spotted them riding a white van. The van passed a corner where they picked up two boys who were hiding. A lady came out of the van and told the two boys to get in. We were 10 feet away from the van. We went towards the van but suddenly a black car pulled over behind it. Two big men came out. We thought they were relatives of the gang. Then they went back inside their car and drove towards us. One cop (as we came to know later), told us to kneel down and drop the rocks we were holding in our hands. We were confused. We thought these were just guys who wanted to hurt us. They never told us they were cops. The other cop who was driving the car came out from the car, pulled his gun and went towards Jeffrey. He told Jeffrey to drop his rock and kneel down. He pushed Jeffrey down while pointing a gun at him. Jeffrey bent halfway, covered his head with his both arms with his body in a curl position. While the cop driver pointed the gun on Jeffrey, he was also slapping Jeffrey with his left hand. Since he continued on slapping, Jeffrey swirled around trying to prevent the cop's hand on hitting him. I know Jeffrey did that because he did not know they were cops. They never identified themselves as cops. We thought they were relatives of the other gang who wanted to hurt us. While doing so, the driver cop shot Jeffrey. I was shocked and so was the other cop who was unable to move. My eyes simply blinked when I heard the first shot. It happened so fast. I saw him shooting Jeffrey then Jeffrey swirled towards the right, the cop again shot him and I heard again another shot. I was standing close to Jeffrey with the other cop next to me. I saw clearly what happened. I was unable to move. Contrary to other reports, I did not see Jeffrey swinging a knife towards the cop. Nor did we all resist when they told us to gather together.