The family of a 15-year-old boy who was fatally shot by a Longueuil, Quebec police officer in September has filed a lawsuit against the Longueuil police force. The family alleges that the police used excessive and unjustified force against Nooran Rezayi on September 21 during a police response to a 911 call. Nooran’s mother, Fahima Rezayi, expressed the family’s desire for justice and accountability from the police department to prevent similar incidents in the future.
In their lawsuit, the family is seeking approximately $2.2 million in damages on behalf of Nooran’s parents and extended family from the City of Longueuil and Longueuil police. The family also made public three videos obtained from neighbors, showing the moments leading up to the shooting. The videos depict Nooran sitting on a curb before a police cruiser approaches, followed by the sound of gunshots after an officer commands him to get on the ground.
Attorney Fernando Belton, representing the Rezayi family, highlighted that the videos provide crucial context before and during the shooting, despite not capturing the actual shooting. The incident, which transpired in just three seconds between the officer’s commands and the gunshots, has sparked outrage within the community, including calls for a public inquiry into the matter by the Quebec government.
Following the shooting, it was revealed that the only firearm recovered at the scene belonged to the police officer involved in the shooting. The family criticized the handling of information by the police watchdog, the BEI, accusing them of a lack of transparency and failure to keep the family informed about case updates. Additionally, they condemned the media leak of the 911 call contents, suggesting a bias against the teens involved.
The shooting has raised concerns about the investigative process, particularly since BEI cases rarely result in charges. Despite over 450 investigations conducted by the BEI since its establishment in 2016, only two cases have led to charges, with none resulting in criminal prosecution for fatal police shootings. Critics have questioned the agency’s impartiality, pointing out that a significant number of its investigators are former police officers, leading to doubts about the objectivity of their investigations.