Jeffrey Northrup (April 22, 1966[1] – July 2, 2021) was a Toronto police officer who was killed in the line of duty on July 2, 2021, while responding to a stabbing call in the parking garage below City Hall near Queen and Bay streets in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Umar Zameer was accused of intentionally running over Northrup and was charged with first-degree murder.[2] He pleaded not guilty. In April 2024, he was found not guilty after a trial.[3]
At around midnight on July 2, 2021, TPS responded to a call for a stabbing near Toronto City Hall. Northrup, along with Sgt. Lisa Forbes, entered a parking garage under City Hall, where they found Umar Zameer, his wife Aaida Shaikh, and their two-year-old son, sitting in their locked van.[4] Both officers approached Zameer's car with their guns drawn. Security cameras did not capture the initial incident. Zameer and the TPS' account of what happened next differ.[5]
Zameer's account
According to Zameer, neither Northrup nor Forbes identified that they were police when they "rushed towards his car". Having heard of an anti-Muslim attack on a family nearly a month prior, he feared he was being targeted by criminals when the officers banged on his car window. Zameer initially drove forward, but was quickly blocked by an unmarked police vehicle. He then reversed into the laneway, knocking down constable Northrup. Not realizing that he had knocked down Northrup in front of his car, Zameer once again accelerated, running over and mortally wounding the constable.[5]
Toronto Police's account
According to TPS, both officers identified themselves repeatedly when approaching Zameer's vehicle. They claim that Northrup wasn't knocked down by Zameer reversing his car, and Northrup was standing and clearly visible when Zameer ran him over in a deliberate act.[4][6]
Death
Northrup was dragged six meters under Zameer's car, breaking several ribs, fracturing his spine, and lacerating his liver.[5] He was transported to St. Michael's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.[7]
