Brampton teen died after struggle with off-duty Toronto cops over counterfeit watch
Published April 7, 2022 at 12:05 pm
Two Toronto cops are facing misconduct charges after the death of a 19-year-old in Brampton following a Kijiji deal “gone bad” over a counterfeit watch last year.
According to reports, Toronto Police Constables Gurmakh Benning and Calvin Au went to Brampton on April 26 to meet a man about an ad posted to Kijiji for the sale of an Apple Watch.
Documents filed at the Toronto police tribunal last month reportedly show the off-duty cops met with 19-year-old Chadd Facey who sold the two Toronto men the watch.
But the police officers allegedly began pursuing the teen by car then on foot when Benning realised the watch was counterfeit.
Au reportedly took Facey “to the ground” and held the teen as he struggled to get away.
Sometime after the altercation, Facey was with a friend who noticed the teen “appeared unwell.”
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Facey was taken to Brampton Civic Hospital where he died just a few hours later. The cause of death has not yet been released.
Benning and Au are both facing multiple misconduct charges according to documents filed at the Toronto police tribunal last month. The charges include neglect of duty, discreditable conduct and insubordination.
Facey’s death is also under investigation by the province’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU).
The two Toronto police officers reportedly didn’t identify themselves as police officers when they made a 911 call immediately after the altercation with Facey, and also allegedly failed to notify Peel Regional Police about the incident.
Neither Beginning nor Au reported to Toronto police about their involvement in the case and their actions were instead “discovered as a result of another police service’s investigation.”
Documents outlining the allegations against Benning show he placed a 911 call after the incident “indicating that it was a ‘Kijiji deal that had gone bad,’ but did not identify yourself as a police officer on the call.”
Benning reportedly “advised the call taker that the matter was resolved.”
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
Professional misconduct charges could lead to the officers’ dismissal, and the SIU has not yet determined whether criminal charges are warranted against the officers.
The SIU is the independent civilian government agency that investigates the conduct of police officers which may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault, and the discharge of a firearm at a person.
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