'It's my car. Why am I still being handcuffed?' Man wrongly detained by Montreal police speaks out
When Brice Dossa left a Montreal McDonald's last week and tried to get into his car, he didn't expect to end up in handcuffs.
And he certainly didn't expect that, despite confirming his innocence, officers wouldn't uncuff him right away -- because they didn't have the key.
"I feel traumatized. Humiliated. My human rights [have] been violated. And right now, I don't feel safe around police officers anymore," Dossa told CTV Montreal on Saturday.
On Thursday, plainclothes Montreal police officers detained Dossa, a Black man, who they suspected of stealing his own vehicle.
But when the time came, the officers didn't have the key to uncuff him.
"I asked them, 'so, it's my car. Why am I still being handcuffed? Is it because I'm a Black man?'" Dossa recounted.
The key was eventually delivered and Dossa was released without charges.
A video of a handcuffed Dossa circulated widely on social media, prompting outrage from activists, elected officials and the Montreal community.
The video does not show the circumstances leading up to the detainment. But according to Dossa, he was caught completely off guard, alleging police gave him little to no information on what was going on.
"I saw a gentleman come from behind, pulling my right hand at the back. [I said], 'What's going on here?'" he recounted.
"The police did not introduce themselves, and say 'I'm police, I'm here for this and that. Give me the papers of the vehicle.' They didn't ask anything. They just harassed me, aggressively, handcuffed me, without even telling me what is happening."
A Tweet from the Montreal police service (SPVM) claims the vehicle lock showed "typical and obvious attempted theft marks," prompting officers to investigate.
"Before they could finish their checks, a citizen walked up to it to take possession of it," another Tweet reads.
"It was at this time that he was temporarily detained for investigation by the two police officers. The citizen was released unconditionally and without charge once the checks were completed."
The SPVM is now conducting a probe into the circumstances surrounding the event.
Quebec's public safety minister, François Bonnardel, is also looking into the incident, his office said in a statement over the weekend.
Dossa says the experience left him with deep scars and he hopes to see consequences for the people involved.
"This cannot be [swept] under the carpet."
With files from CTV News' Joe Lofaro and Luca Caruso-Moro.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
Toronto police seek suspect vehicle after security guard shot outside Drake's mansion
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
World's record-breaking hot temperature streak stretches through April
The world just experienced its hottest April on record, extending an 11-month streak in which every month set a temperature record, the European Union's climate change monitoring service said on Wednesday.
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.