He was shot 6 times. Arrests were made, but no one's behind bars
CBC
Kevin Kusi's life was forever changed on March 13, 2020 when men pulled guns on him while he was waiting for the elevator in his apartment building near Jane Street and Falstaff Avenue. He was shot six times. He barely survived.
Criminal court documents reveal police had a suspect in custody within days, and that multiple criminal charges were laid. But nobody has gone to jail for the crime, two suspects are still at large, and Kusi says he's still fighting for justice, more than three years later.
That's partly because Toronto police failed to promptly disclose evidence, which let one of the alleged gunmen walk free. Kusi says the force let him down, and he's left questioning why.
"I would assume I would receive the same amount of protection as anyone else," he said.
"The hard thing is I didn't want to make this about race, but every time I speak about this case with someone they say, 'I wonder if you were white if this would have gone a different way,' and I think about that too. How could I not?"
WATCH | Kusi spoke with CBC Toronto's Talia Ricci about his ordeal:
When he recovered, Kusi says he tried to help the police as much as he could but he hasn't heard from the investigators since they took his first and only statement.
"I told them straight: whatever you need from me to put these guys behind bars, even if it's an extra hour, I'll be there," he said.
Police called the attack on Kusi an "ambush" perpetrated by multiple people, according to criminal court documents. While two suspects have never been arrested, two others faced several charges, including attempted murder.
Those cases wrapped up earlier this year.
One man, the alleged getaway driver, was found not guilty, while the other man's case was dismissed because the police investigator took too long to submit evidence.
A spokesperson for Toronto police said the force is not allowed to release details about investigations arising from conduct complaints, including their outcome, unless the matter is heard before its disciplinary tribunal. The investigator in Kusi's case — Det. Andrea Chalmers — has not appeared before the tribunal.
In July, Kusi filed a complaint with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director. So far, he says there's been no accountability. He says he's still putting in hours and looking through documents, trying to reach someone official who might help him get answers.
"You would think I'm a suspect but I'm the victim, one who actually got hurt," he said. "Shouldn't we be on the same side?"