Family of teen killed by Longueuil police launches lawsuit

The family of Nooran Rezayi has filed a $2.2-million lawsuit, alleging racial profiling and unjustified use of force.

Members of the family of the teenage boy killed by police in September are launching a $2.2-million lawsuit, seeking compensation and a review of police interventions and training procedures.

Nooran Rezayi, 15, was fatally shot on the afternoon of Sept. 21, while with a group of friends near the intersection of Joseph-Daigneault and Monaco streets.

The lawsuit is against the Longueuil police (SPAL) officers involved in the shooting, who are not named in the suit.

The shooting death triggered an investigation by Quebec’s independent police watchdog, the BEI.

The six members of Rezayi’s family are accusing SPAL officers of “using unreasonable and disproportionate force by firing two shots at Nooran in rapid succession, causing his death,” according to a news release issued Tuesday by the family’s lawyers.

The BEI held a rare news conference two days after the boy’s shooting, providing the public with preliminary information about the circumstances leading to the death.

“The family regrets not having been contacted prior to the press conference to receive this information. The family also condemns the BEI for insinuating in its media statement that a weapon had been seized from the group of young people targeted by the intervention, of which Nooran was a member,” the press release reads.

In the news conference, BEI director Brigitte Bishop clarified that only one firearm was seized at the scene — the officer’s gun. The officer involved is on indefinite leave, according to Longueuil police.

Officers seized a baseball bat, a backpack and ski masks, but no sharp-edged weapons, the watchdog said.

The BEI confirmed on Tuesday that the investigation is ongoing and that the watchdog will provide an update once the investigation is complete.

“A little over two months have passed since the tragic death of young Nooran, and the Rezayi family is still searching for answers, having been denied access to the results of the investigations conducted to shed light on the event,” the news release reads.

Lawyers for the family added that they were able to view some surveillance camera footage that was sent to them by a resident, which they now wish to make available to the public.

“What these videos show are six young people sitting on the side of the road, looking at their phones and talking to each other. Then, several of them run as a police vehicle approaches them at high speed. Less than 10 seconds elapse between the moment the vehicle stops, and the two fatal shots are fired,” the news release claims.

Rezayi and five friends -- all racialized teenagers -- were sitting on a sidewalk of the suburban neighbourhood and looking at their phones when a police car turned a corner and drove down the street at high speed. Five of the teens, included Rezayi, started to run.

CTV News viewed the videos at a news conference on Tuesday morning.

Two other videos, timestamped about four minutes later and shown at the news conference, capture audio of a voice yelling “lay down on the ground!” before the sound of two shots is heard. The videos do not show the shooting.

Virginie Dufresne-Lemire, one of the family’s lawyers, said that, “for us, it is clear that the police did not act reasonably.”

She said police officers have a right to use force, but have an obligation to use it as a last resort, and to apply it gradually and proportionally. They also have a duty to assess the scene appropriately, she said.

The Rezayi family members are seeking compensation for the “many damages they have suffered, but they also want those responsible for Nooran’s death to be held accountable.”

They say they hope for a thorough review of how police officers intervene and are trained to prevent another death from occurring.

“Nooran was kind, smiling, funny. He loved to enjoy life. Nooran had a passion for basketball. His little brother lost the chance to know him. It wasn’t his turn. He wasn’t supposed to go. What happened to Nooran is not normal, it wasn’t supposed to happen. There were other ways to handle the situation,” said Fahima Rezayi, Nooran’s mother.

“In Persian, Nooran means light; now there is no light in my house.”

The City of Longueuil issued a statement saying they acknowledge the lawsuit and “as the matter is before the courts, the City will not comment.”

- With files from the Canadian Press