A 17-year-old boy killed in a police shooting in Aurora this week was “just a normal kid” who was kind and respectful to everyone, says a man who knew him as a volunteer at the local mosque.
The teen died in an “exchange of gunfire” with four York Regional Police (YRP) officers at about 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday, according to Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU).
The SIU said in a news release on Thursday that police were dispatched to a residence on Downey Circle, near Bayview Avenue and St. John’s Side Road, north of Toronto, after a caller reported a break-and-enter in progress at the home. There’s no word on who made the call.
Police and the SIU have not named the teen. But Shujaat Ali Ismail, one of the head volunteers at the Aurora mosque, identified him as Mikail Rashid in an interview with CBC Toronto on Friday.
“All we knew from him was goodness,” Ismail said. “Mikail was an excellent person. He was always kind to everyone in our community. He was nice to everyone.”
Ismail said Rashid, who helped out at the mosque after he converted to Islam, wanted to go to medical school, work as a doctor and learn computer science. Ismail described him as “very approachable, very respectable” and an intellectual. He said Rashid was religious and a “righteous individual.” He said he has known Rashid for more than a year.
The community is in a state of shock and has many questions about the shooting, Ismail said.
“We, as Muslims, we want to know the truth,” Ismail said.
“Was this an act of racism toward the Muslim community? What actually happened? What actually went down? Why did they shoot down a 17-year-old in his own property? Does the YRP not understand how diverse of a community Aurora is now?” he asked.
Ismail also asked how Rashid could be the suspect in a break-in at his own home, where he lived with his father, and next to the high school he attended.
One of the hardest things for the family is “they can’t mourn,” he said. “The body is with the SIU. We can’t even perform funeral prayers on Mikail.”
In the release, the SIU said the exchange of gunfire occurred soon after police arrived. The release does not say specifically where it took place. The SIU is investigating the shooting.
“The male was struck multiple times and pronounced deceased at the scene. One officer suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment,” the SIU said.
A York Regional Police spokesperson provided a similar summary of events during a news conference at the scene late Wednesday.
Shooting an example of dangers police face, chief says
In a statement on Friday, York Regional Police Chief Jim MacSween did not extend condolences to the teen’s parents, but said the incident is an example of the dangers faced by police daily.
“The Oct. 30 shooting brings to the forefront the increasing levels of violence experienced by our fron-tline members while they work diligently to maintain order and public safety,” MacSween said.
He called the incident “tragic” and added that York Region has experienced an increase in violent crime this year.
“With these increases and more guns on the streets, our residents are feeling increasingly vulnerable to becoming a victim of crime. On a daily basis, I am speaking to people who are expressing to me that they are not feeling safe. This is concerning to me and simply unacceptable,” he said.
In the past five years, he said there have been 952 incidents in which York police officers were assaulted. This year, 116 officers have been attacked or assaulted and in 13 of the assaults, there was a weapon involved, he added.
“I call on all stakeholders in the justice sector to do their part to ensure our communities and our officers are protected and remain safe. Everyone has a role to play.”
SIU, police appeal for video to aid investigations
Both the SIU and York police are appealing for information or video that could help their investigations. The SIU said it has assigned five investigators and three forensic investigators to the case.
The SIU is an independent agency that investigates police conduct in incidents that result in death, serious injury, the discharge of a firearm or allegations of sexual assault.