Toronto Police Officer Pleads Guilty in Excessive Force Shooting of Young Black Man

A Toronto police officer, Const. Andrew Davis, has pleaded guilty to lesser charges related to the shooting of a young Black man, Devon Fowlin, in a case that has been described as an excessive use of force. The shooting, which occurred on February 27, 2023, left Fowlin with life-changing injuries and has been the subject of a civil lawsuit. In a rare move, the Toronto police service publicly described the force used as "excessive" in a 2024 report to the Toronto Police Service Board.

Key Takeaways:

• Const. Andrew Davis, a junior Toronto police officer with just over a year on the job, pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm and careless use of a firearm in the shooting of Devon Fowlin on February 27, 2023.
• The shooting was described as an "excessive" use of force by the Toronto police service in a 2024 report to the Toronto Police Service Board.
• Fowlin, who was homeless at the time and living out of his vehicle with his dog, was shot by Davis despite there being "no risk" of harm or death to any officer or citizen.
• Court heard that Fowlin told investigators he had consumed cannabis at the time of the shooting but was not intoxicated, and that he had no mental health issues despite police records indicating a history of mental illness.
• Police body-cam footage, which was played in court, showed the moments leading up to the shooting, including Fowlin being Tased by another officer, Const. Sarah Richards, before being shot by Davis.
• Fowlin's lawyer, David Shellnutt, described the police response as "a miracle that Devon wasn't killed," and said that the case was an opportunity to improve responses to mental health crises.
• A civil suit is currently pending, in which Fowlin is suing the police and the police board for $4.25 million in damages, including $250,000 for allegedly breaching the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Statistics:

• February 27, 2023: Date of the shooting of Devon Fowlin by Const. Andrew Davis.
• 2024: Year in which the Toronto police service publicly described the force used as "excessive" in a report to the Toronto Police Service Board.
• $4.25 million: Amount of damages being sought in the civil suit by Fowlin, including $250,000 for allegedly breaching the Ontario Human Rights Code.
• 1: Number of rounds fired by Const. Davis that left Fowlin with life-changing injuries.

Sources:

• "Toronto police officer pleads guilty to lesser charges in shooting of young Black man" by Jim Rankin, Toronto Star.
• "Police video of shooting of young Black man 'should shock the public'" by Jim Rankin, Toronto Star.
• "Toronto police describe force used in shooting of young Black man as 'excessive'" by Jim Rankin, Toronto Star.