Monday, April 09, 2007

Cambodian-Canadian man shot dead by Ontario's Hamilton police

Apr 9, 2007
Why did police have to kill? slain man's family asks

By DANA BORCEA and WADE HEMSWORTH
The Hamilton Spectator (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada)


Family and friends of a man shot dead minutes after he attacked a pool hall operator with a hatchet say Hamilton police should not have killed him.

Soun Saing, 46, was shot outside M&J Billiards and Video on Parkdale Avenue North during an early morning confrontation with police on Good Friday.

"Why did they have to shoot him to die? Why didn't they shoot him in the hand?" asked his brother-in-law Sam Oeur. "I'm not angry with police but it is not fair."

Oeur's frustration over Saing's death was echoed by other relatives and friends still reeling from the loss of the father of two described as a quiet and religious man who moved to Canada as a refugee from Cambodia in the late 1980s.

Six officers confronted Saing early Friday morning. Two shot and killed him. Neither the province's Special Investigations Unit, nor city police will discuss the investigation.

Hamilton police Chief Brian Mullan would not comment on whether the shooting -- the first fatal shooting by city police in more than two decades--was warranted.

"That's one of the things that the SIU investigation will determine," he said. "That's exactly why they're called."

He said that as long as the SIU is investigating, he is not permitted to discuss the shooting at all and that he has not spoken to the officers involved, since he is not permitted to do so under provincial law.

SIU spokesperson Rose Bliss said the unit, which investigates all deaths and serious injuries involving police, is still in its fact-finding stage.

dborcea@thespec.com
905-526-3214

whemsworth@thespec.com
905-526-3254

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

First, I like to commend the
Ontario Police for doing their
duty extremely well, and I advice
all our officers to use this case
as a role model to protect our
citizens. In such a situation or
similar, just give the bastard
a little warning, and if he
disobey, drop him. Don't let him
get into our society because the
public will lose faith in you to
protect them, and you will be out
of job.

As for the backstabers in the
story, he deserved to die long
ago. Just creamate him and
flush his ashes into the sewer,
period. Don't even waste
time arguing with that type of
fool.

Anonymous said...

No matter what an individual's the level commitment of crime, a family's members of dead person always seek for the answers.

If the person was yours and 100% your reaction would be the same.

Anonymous said...

A man with a hatchet is no match for 6 police officer with a gun, or one with a gun. The man should have been given a chance to calm down.

Nothing good is done out or quick rash behavior, and coming from officers, they're especially not commendable.

That is outrageous, this man was probably shot down because of skinhead like commentator above.

Anonymous said...

DEAD OF THE GRINGOS KILLED BY SHERIFF.... FUNNY STORY OF KHMER GRINGOS...

JUST A LESSON FOR THE OTHER GRINGOS ANDINDIANS.

Anonymous said...

GRINGOS FEEL SORROW FOR one dead person for unjust kill in Cambodia.

KHMER GRINGOS behave far better than Khmer untreatable psychopathic

Anonymous said...

This killing is not unjust in
anyway. Most of Ah Gringoes' slaves
are lunatic and dangerous to
society. Thank God that we don't
have to deal with those worthless
losers. Moreover, that is exactly
why I praise the Khmer Rouge for
doing a great job on them.

Anonymous said...

what the hell is a khmer gringo... as for the guy at 4:13 and anyone that believes that the man deserves what happened to him, i hope u get whats coming to you my friend.

Anonymous said...

Yes, we deserved to see you
(gringoes's slaves) getting stepped
on like dog shits by gringoes and
still loving it. Mua hahahaha....

Anonymous said...

i remember when this happened. a friend of mine owns the poolhall. it was her uncle that got shot. i went over with my mom and family friends after a khmer new year prayer in the morning at a hall, nearby. it's so weird, i played touch football against his daughter's school, didn't realize it was her until i got a close look at her.