A man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer has been found not guilty.
Umar Zameer pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of Det. Const. Jeffrey Northrup, who died on July 2, 2021 after he was hit by a vehicle in an underground parking garage at Toronto City Hall.
Zameer and his family members burst into tears when the verdict was read out.
The facts that Zameer ran over Northrup and caused his death were not in dispute. Rather, the case centred on whether Zameer meant to hit Northrup – or even knew it happened – and whether he knew Northrup and his partner, who were in plain clothes, were police officers.
Prosecutors alleged Zameer knew Northrup was an officer and drove directly at him, while the defence argued Zameer thought he and his family were being attacked by robbers and tried to escape in the safest way possible.
Jurors returned with a verdict on the fourth day of deliberations, during which they asked three questions.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 204
