Yesterday, I spoke to the parents of a 23yo man who fell from a 12th floor window following a no-knock police raid. Anthony Aust was out on bail, with a GPS tracking bracelet. His mom said he was depressed, fearful of police and jail https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1804210755886

Raymond Aust, says when he saw this video of the raid captured by the home security camera- he knew wanted to make it public. He says police should know barging like this into a 12 story apartment endangers the public. He wonders how many bystanders are traumatized by these raids

You should know that when Ottawa Police raided the 12th story apartment there were 5 other people inside. Anthony Aust, his 94yo grandma, 68yo Dad w/ heart condition, 12yo brother, 13yo sister, and Aust’s girlfriend. The 12yo was in the room when he jumped

Aust’s stepfather, Ben Poirier says the death of his son could have been prevented “if police just knocked instead of coming in like terrorists” The door was unlocked because the family gets lots of visits from PSWs who cares for their 94yo grandma

Because @SIUOntario is investigating, Ottawa Police won’t comment in the investigation. But I did speak to a retired OPS SWAT team member. He calls these no-knock search warrants “bread and butter” because tact officers carry them out routinely.

Jeff KilCollins (ret’d) was with Ottawa Police tactical unit for 20 yrs.He says hundreds if not thousands of no-knock warrants are carried out in Ontario every year, especially in drug and child pornography cases, where surprise strike needed to prevent destruction of evidence

In 2013- The Supreme Court of Canada gave police the right to use no-knock warrants/dynamic entry in exigent or urgent cases. But in February an Ottawa judge expressed concern that the practice was used too often and “reflects a casual disregard for Charter rights”

Criminal Defence Lawyer Mark Ertel says the February ruling doesn’t appear to have curbed the use of dynamic entries by police. Ertel says dynamic entries in Canada potentially more risky than in US no-knocks. American police don’t usually use flash bangs, he says

In the US, after Breonna Taylor’s death, laws are being passed to end no-knock search warrants. There is no such movement in Canada in regards to dynamic entry https://www.google.ca/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/10/10/us/no-knock-warrant-bans-breonna-taylor/index.html

Both defence lwyr Ertel and ex-cop Kilcollins say the planning of no-knock warrants are based on intelligence thats gathered. Police plan raids according to the info they get. Are there weapons in the house. How much drugs/evidence. Who is in home. But what if the info is bad?

Mark Ertel says too often search warrants are signed based on problematic intelligence from informants who are “unsavoury characters”
These are people who get paid for info, or are getting charges dropped for implicating someone else, they have criminal records...

Which brings us back to death of Anthony Aust,23. Here’s info from court records.
He was out on bail after being arrested in traffic stop with drugs & one gun. He had a GPS tracking bracelet, a curfew, could only leave w/ his sureties who were his mom, dad or uncle.

As part of his bail plan, he moved into a 3 bedroom apartment on Jasmine Cres. His mom Nhora Aust, had to provide a list of everyone in the home to the crown and police. 5 people, plus Anthony. This includes 2 kids (12,13) a 94 yo Grandma, 68yo stepdad and Mom

Nhora Aust wonders “what judge can sign” a no-knock warrant knowing all those people could be in the cramped apartment on the 12th floor. She is devastated her son is dead, but grateful her younger children, husband w/ heart condition and 94yo mom survived.

The @SIUOntario has interviewed Ben Poirier and his 12yo son who was sleeping in the same room as Aust before he jumped.

Four @SIUOntario investigators are assigned to investigate the police involved death of Anthony Aust. Their investigation will take months. In 2019- only 5% of the watchdog’s cases resulted in charges -30-