An innocent Toronto man who was held at gunpoint during a dramatic takedown outside a grocery store because he looked like a murder suspect is demanding an apology from the city’s police chief.
Toronto police admit it was a case of “mistaken identity,” but the service is standing by the emergency task force officers who detained Dante Newman last week.
“When you’re dealing with people wanted for the most serious crimes, you have to take every necessary precaution,” said Meaghan Gray, a spokesperson for the Toronto Police Service.
You know that you’re innocent, but to this day I still feel like I did something wrong.
– Dante Newman
Newman, 20, was leaving a FreshCo with groceries on the afternoon of Nov. 15 in the city’s St. James Town area when he says two officers hopped out of their cruiser, pointed their guns at him and shouted at him to stop.
One officer “had me at gunpoint, and he told me to get onto the floor, because I was wanted for murder,” Newman told CBC Toronto on Thursday.
The college student said the experience “was so real.”
“You know that you’re innocent, but to this day I still feel like I did something wrong, but I know that I didn’t,” said Newman.
