A second murder suspect was formally charged in connection with a deadly police shooting in downtown Toronto last month, media outlets reported.
Edmonton-based Omar Fahmy, 33, is charged with murder and first-degree murder in the death of Ibragim Todashev, a 27-year-old Chechen immigrant to Canada, reports said.
Multiple media outlets reported that the initial charge, aggravated assault, was dropped after a brief court appearance.
The latest charge came after Todashev was shot four times at his apartment.
Mayor John Tory called the shooting “horrific” and said earlier this month that investigators were “cautiously optimistic” they’d be able to charge the two men.
Police said police were called to the scene on June 22 after reports of a stabbing.
According to media reports, Todashev had a knife and approached police and allegedly warned them to back off as he approached them.
Police fired several rounds at Todashev who fled in his car. Authorities said he was chased and shot by the same officers who said they were attacked first.
Officials said Todashev was unarmed and neither of the officers involved in the shooting are under criminal investigation.
The officers, members of a specialized tactical unit, have been placed on administrative leave, as is standard procedure after such an incident.
Authorities have said two handguns were recovered at the scene.
Shocked residents told the CBC that they were startled after hearing gunshots and saw someone lie on the ground.
“I came out of my room…and there was a car, he was lying on the ground, and there was all these cops, and they were surrounding him,” Karen Clarke told CBC News.
Officers have received a number of death threats, but a department spokesperson said residents should be assured that all threats will be dealt with.
Police have interviewed over 70 witnesses in the investigation.
Meanwhile, the lawyers for Fahmy, an Egyptian national who has lived in Canada for the past 13 years, said they plan to challenge the government’s recent decision to deport him.
His lawyer, Julian Falconer, said in a statement that he plans to contest the Canadian government’s constitutional right to deport Todashev’s brother.
The Canadian government only has the authority to deport anyone who entered the country illegally or under a criminal conviction, which would not apply to Todashev.
“These changes have dramatically increased the risk of failed deportations,” Falconer said.
“When the government first notified us that they would be sending Todashev back to Russia, we immediately contacted them to appeal that decision,” he said.