Toronto Police say they are aware of a video circulating on social media that shows a violent interaction between five police officers and a man on a TTC subway train.
The video, posted on Instagram on Thursday and seen by CityNews, shows police initially standing around a man who is seated, speaking to them. It is unclear what the man says but officers are then seen dragging him from the seat to the subway floor. One officer kicks the man three times before another officer steps between the two and someone is heard saying “stop, that’s enough.”
Toronto Police tell CityNews the incident happened on March 26, when police were called to Eglinton West station for “unknown trouble.”
They say several people called 9-1-1 reporting that a man had allegedly assaulted a woman on the train and stole her phone.
The man was charged with one count of robbery and three counts of failure to comply with probation.
The police’s Professional Standards Unit is investigating the incident in the video.
CityNews reached out to police to confirm the man in the video is the man who was arrested and charged.
“We don’t usually confirm video that has not been released by police but I believe this is one and the same incident that is being investigated,” said Toronto Police Services media relations officer Laura Brabant.
