As the list of police officers shot in the United States grows, there are renewed fears in Toronto about a specific threat on social media towards the police officer cleared by the SIU in the shooting death of Andrew Loku.
A shocking Facebook post, believed to be put up in April or May, specifically threatens the unnamed Toronto officer.
“The police officer who killed Andrew Loku. We. Are coming for you. U better believe it. You are going to spend the rest of your life without your family like how Andrew Loku’s 5 children will have to go on without their father. Justice will be served.”
The posting was discovered by Toronto Police following another disturbing entry discovered on social media on Feb. 9 by Newstalk 1010 host and Toronto Sun columnist Jerry Agar.
It was a message by Black Lives Matter Toronto co-founder Yusra Khogali who tweeted “Plz Allah give me strength to not cuss/kill these men and white folks out here today. Plz plz plz.”
A Toronto Police source said the tweet was just one of several upsetting social media posting discovered. Sources say like the tweets, the Facebook posting is being investigated to determine if it came from Khogali, as well, or someone trying to make it look like it did.
“This investigation is still ongoing,” said a police insider. “It was taken down but police do have it.”
Black Lives Matter has demanded that the officer involved in the Loku case be publicly identified. He is said to be shaken by the Facebook threat.
Toronto Police Association President Mike McCormack called the Facebook posting “disturbing” and an example of how officers can be targeted.
“We are very concerned about this — especially in the climate right now in Dallas and in other parts of the United states,” he added. “But it is in the right hands (Toronto Police investigators).”
Black Lives Matter has yet to comment.
Chief Mark Saunders did not comment on the Facebook posting but he did address the despicable murders of officers in Dallas in an internal message to his service Friday.
“What happened in Dallas last night and this morning is shocking,” wrote Saunders. “It is beyond our comprehension. Our condolences are with the families of those officers killed and injured.”
On the potential of something happening here, Saunders said “the safety of the men and women of the Toronto Police Service, who serve and protect this city, day and night, is enormously important to me. I will always make sure you have the best, and safest, equipment, and the intelligence and training to provide you with the greatest protection.
“I understand how concerning the events in Dallas are, and I know you will continue to take all necessary precautions. I also understand the professionalism and courage of those who work in all the communities of this city, reaching out to those who are vulnerable, building relationships with marginalized communities, and helping communities become more resilient.”
He was also critical of the Black Lives Matter “shut it down” protest at the Pride Parade — saying their “attacks are inaccurate, irresponsible and inflammatory.”
Wrote Saunders: “There are clearly people in this city who want to drive a wedge between the TPS and the LGBTQ communities. They will not succeed. It must be a source of great anger to them that the TPS has made enormous strides in recent years to enhance and develop our relationship with those communities.”
In the meantime, McCormack said he has been in contact with friends he knows at the Dallas Police Association to express condolences and a contingent of Toronto Police officers will be travelling to Dallas for the funerals.
“We are all feeling this,” said McCormack. “Every officer I talked with — both here and in the U.S. — said they were not surprised this happened because we all have been predicting it.”
That’s why an ugly Facebook posting like the one directed at one of his members is not something that can be ignored.
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