BMW struck Toronto police Const. Northrup as it reversed: testimony
The BMW that killed Const. Jeffrey Northrup was reversing, not accelerating forwards, when it first hit the officer in the city hall parkade in July 2021, according to testimony from a police collision reconstructionist at the murder trial of the driver on Wednesday.
Det. Sgt. Jeff Bassingthwaite told the court that looking at marks on the pavement of the parkade, fingerprint evidence, as well as a grainy video that shows only part of the crash, he could conclude that Northrup had been hit by the driver’s side of Umar Zameer’s car as it backed up and turned.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“As the vehicle turned, its front end gets further out than the back end of the vehicle and as a result the pedestrian, Jeff Northrup, was struck by the front left fender in the area of the wheel as the wheel was reversing and subsequently he was knocked down,” Bassingthwaite told the jury.
The opinion was at odds with previous testimony from witness officers, who had said Northrup had been hit head-on by Zameer, despite identifying himself as a police officer as he and others in plainclothes hunted for a stabbing suspect in the parkade.
Zameer’s wife Aaida Shaikh has testified that she, Zameer, and her two-year-old son were downtown for Canada Day, and saw two people they didn’t know were police officers rush towards the car. Shaikh said she thought they were being attacked or robbed in a chaotic scene, and fled.
Shaikh testified this week she never saw the car hit Northrup, though felt a bump as the car accelerated forwards. Her lawyer has said that this was no murder, just a tragic accident.
The jury also saw a three-dimensional view of the city hall parkade scene where Northrup was struck, created by a laser scan, as well as photos of evidence markers that showed the path the BMW took as it accelerated.
The grainy video, recorded at one frame per second, shows the BMW move forward, then backwards as it turns, and then accelerate forwards again. A gate arm also blocks the view of the incident.
Bassingthwaite referred to a single frame of that video that appears to show an unidentified object in front of the vehicle lying horizontally.
Photos of the BMW do not show any impact from a head-on collision but do show fingerprints on the driver's side that belong to Northrup, Bassingthwaite said.
Another three-dimensional view shows the scene where Zameer’s car was slammed into by an unmarked police vehicle, was arrested at gunpoint, and punched in the face, while another officer pulled his wife and two-year-old child out of the car.
In her testimony, Shaikh told the court she was devastated when she learned that Northrup had died and gave a statement to the officers on July 2 describing what had happened.
“Later that evening I went home to find out that the police, I’m sorry to say, they gave in the news, the complete opposite of what I had told him. They said we knew who the man and the lady were. They said that Umar intentionally murdered the police officer. I found that out on the news and I have never felt so betrayed,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Trial begins for Winnipeg serial killer who claims he was mentally ill
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.
These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
New Canadian study could be a lifesaver for thousands suffering from CTE
A first-of-its-kind Canadian research study is working towards a major medical breakthrough for a brain disorder, believed to be caused by repeated head injuries, that can only be detected after death.