Fourth video submitted of police violence in Quebec City, chief admits; all involve same squad
Quebec City's police chief confirmed Thursday that a single officer appeared in all three videos published this week showing violent altercations with police.
There's also a fourth video, Chief Denis Turcotte said in a press conference Thursday.
The existence of the fourth video was first reported by Le Journal earlier Thursday. It reportedly shows officers from the same squad involved in the first three videos, the GRIPP squad, which is tasked with patrolling restaurants and bars.
Some of the video is surveillance from inside a bar in the St-Roch district, showing officers taking issue with people dancing onstage, against COVID-19 rules.
A 36-year-old man, there to celebrate a birthday with his spouse, was shoved, and a second video shot outside shows officers carrying him and shoving his head against a wall, where the skin split and bled, according to the interview the man and his spouse gave Le Journal.
The couple requested the surveillance video from the bar in October, when the event occurred, and turned it over to Quebec City police Thursday morning.
"All the documents are in our possession," said Turcotte.
The force is asking the public to turn over any more video evidence from the events.
In its internal investigations, it hasn't yet spoken to any witnesses or officers, Turcotte said, but he said that if criminal wrongdoing were suspected, the case would be turned over to the Crown prosecutor's office for evaluation.
If not, the internal investigation could end in internal sanctions.
There are also independent investigations happening into the first two videos by the Police Ethics Commissioner.
Five officers have already been suspended, with pay, including three who appeared in multiple videos, including the one who appeared in all three (Turcotte didn't say if he also appears in the fourth).
"We will get to the bottom of this," said Turcotte.
'FORCE IS EMPLOYED FAIRLY REGULARLY'
The first video was the one showing 18-year-old Pacifique Niyokwizera last Friday night or early Saturday.
The second showed an incident earlier Friday night, when officers punched and kneeled on 29-year-old Jean-Philippe St-Laurent inside an Italian restaurant, breaking his nose.
The third, which came to light on Wednesday, shows an incident in October, said Turcotte. He said there were assaults committed and about 15 people who ended up outside an establishment, and 20 officers arrived "to disperse the crowd." Several people were arrested and some were fined, he said.
The fourth was the one that ended with the 36-year-old man's head bleeding.
Turcotte said that "people do resist their arrest often" and that "force is employed fairly regularly when people resist."
Still, he said, the videos are "worrying," and the investigation will show if the officers' actions are "reprehensible."
Generally, force may be used only until a person is controlled, he said.
Police will take any complaints by the public into consideration, even if there are no videos, Turcotte. added.
In explaining the unit involved, GRIPP, he said officers apply to join that squad and are evaluated for it. They become "specialized" over time, through training.
In both videos that came from the inside of bars or restaurants this week, the establishments' owners told media that they hadn't called the squad, but that the officers appeared without notice to check vaccine passports or ensure other health rules were being followed.
LISTEN ON CJAD 800 RADIO: What is wrong with Quebec City's police force? Alexane Drolet, Reporter at Noovo Info
--With files from CTV's Matt Grillo.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to squash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
A subset of Alzheimer's cases may be caused by two copies of a single gene, new research shows
For the first time, researchers have identified a genetic form of late-in-life Alzheimer’s disease — in people who inherit two copies of a worrisome gene.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Trudeau Liberals to unveil new bill Monday aimed at countering foreign interference
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc will be tabling legislation on Monday aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Federal officials have scheduled a technical briefing on the incoming bill for Monday afternoon.