Ottawa police shocked, struck, kicked Black man in case of mistaken identity (video)

Kane Niyondagara was chased and held by police in Orléans last month in a case of mistaken identity

Kane Niyondagara was walking home from a Starbucks in Ottawa's east end when he heard sirens and turned around to see police officers with weapons pointed at him on Innes Road. What followed, according to his account of the events on the morning of Feb. 16, was a harrowing experience that started with mistaken identity and escalated into a violent encounter.

Niyondagara said he was standing on this sidewalk along Innes Road when police ordered him to get on his knees. It's located immediately across from an entry to a Starbucks coffee shop

Initially ordered to raise his hands and then to kneel down, Niyondagara hesitated due to fear of being forcefully arrested on the concrete pavement. Despite complying with some commands, he decided to run when an officer got too close. This led to a pursuit, during which Niyondagara was shocked with a stun gun, restrained, punched in the face, and handcuffed before the police realized their error. Portions of this distressing incident were captured by a bystander and shared with CBC News.

Niyondagara recounted how police later inquired about someone named "Gibriil," a name matching a wanted murder suspect who shares his Black ethnicity. However, it was confirmed that Niyondagara has no criminal record, making the case a clear instance of mistaken identity.

A photo of Gibriil Bakal, who is wanted in connection with a January homicide on Champagne Avenue S. Niyondagara said the officers who arrested him asked if he knew 'Gibriil.'

The episode has raised concerns about racial profiling and police conduct, especially given the recent admission of misconduct by Toronto police in a similar case of mistaken identity involving a Black university student. Statistics from Ottawa's police board further underline disparities, with Black individuals disproportionately subjected to police force despite being a minority in the city's population.

Following his ordeal, Niyondagara has filed a formal complaint and seeks accountability and justice. His experience sheds light on broader issues of systemic biases and the need for fair and equitable policing practices, particularly in cases involving racial minorities.