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Yatim shooting trial: Jury hears audio of faceoff with police

Never-before heard audio of Sammy Yatim, 18, in a face-off with several officers before being fatally shot on a TTC streetcar was heard in a courtroom Thursday.

WARNING: Video contains graphic imagery

CBC News Posted: Oct 21, 2015 10:14 PM EDT | Last Updated: October 23, 2015

WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: Sammy Yatim interaction with Toronto Police on streetcar

9 years ago

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WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: Sammy Yatim interaction with Toronto Police on streetcar

A jury that watched a silent video of a teen being fatally shot on a streetcar by a police officer heard the accompanying audio in Superior Court in Toronto for the first time Thursday, including one recording in which the accused yelled: "Drop the knife!" a total of 10 times.

Cameras on a DundasWest streetcar captured the shooting just after midnight on July 26, 2013. Const. James Forcillo, 32, is facing charges of second-degree murder and attempted murder in the death of SammyYatim, 18, who was shot eight times by Forcillo.

On Wednesday, the jury watched footage from all the cameras that showwhat transpired after the streetcar driver exits the vehicle.

On Thursday, the third day of the trial, audio from several sources was presented in court: one a recording captured by the streetcar's on-board microphone, a second from police radios and others fromiPhonerecordings taken by witnesses.The recordings were about five minutes in length.

In the TTC video,Yatimis heard shouting, "Get the f--kout of here, all of you!" as panicked passengers rush to the front of the streetcar.

The streetcar driver is heard askingYatimif he has a phone and if he'd like to call someone.Yatimanswers, "My dad."

The audio presented in court also captures the driver swearing and the dispatcher telling police there's "a knife on board."

By this time, a police call had gone out andYatimis heard asking the driver, who is leaving the vehicle, "Where are you going? Go on. I'm not going tohold you as hostage."

Const. James Forcilloand his partner were first on the scene, and Forcillois heard shouting, "Drop the knife! Drop the f--kingknife!"

Forcillo'spartner,Const. IrisFleckeisen,holstered her gun and askedYatim, "Are you alone?"

Yatimresponded "no" more than once when asked to drop the knife and called the officer "a p---y" several times.

At one point,Forcillo,who wasoutside the streetcar,shouted, "If you take one f-----g step in this direction, I'll shoot you!"

The video showsYatimfalling at the top step of the streetcar after the first three shots, his body twitching.Forcilloshoots the teen five more times. He was shot in the heart, his spine was severed andarm fractured. He was also shot in the abdomen and penis.

Jurors watched the shooting from every angle available, in black and white, colour, zoomed in 400 per cent, as well as in slow motion.

After the shots are fired, another officer yells, "Drop the knife!"

Sgt. DusanDan Pravicais seen arriving at the scene and telling Yatim, who is lying on the ground having suffered multiple bullet wounds, to "drop the knife."

Pravicastepped forward and used a Taseron Yatimbefore enteringthe streetcar and kicking the knife out of the way.

The jury has been told that an autopsy found Yatimhad consumed marijuana andecstasythe night he died.

Read a re-cap of Thursday's proccedings below

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Yatim shooting trial: Jury hears audio of faceoff with police

WARNING: Video contains graphic imagery

WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: Sammy Yatim interaction with Toronto Police on streetcar

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