Why the Toronto Star purchased the Rob Ford rage video

WATCH: Full interview with Toronto Star investigative reporter Kevin Donovan on why the newspaper purchased the Rob Ford video.

TORONTO – Toronto Star investigative reporter Kevin Donovan says he was the one who handled the “transaction” to purchase the video of Mayor Rob Ford in an apparent stage of rage that has been widely circulated to the media on Thursday.

“People wanted to see this. They want to be able to have a fuller picture of the way the mayor behaves,” said Donovan during an interview on The Morning Show. “It’s a very sad picture but we felt we had to bring it to the people of Toronto.”

Donovan said the newspaper paid $5,000 for the tape from a source he believed was not involved with organized crime.

“I satisfied myself that the person was not involved in that culture at all,” he said. “Can’t go into the details but money has gone to help a family.”

The video, recorded on what seems to be from a mobile device, shows the mayor in an agitated state and shouting at someone. The context of the anger is unknown.

“When he’s dead, I’ll make sure that motherf—er… I need f—ing 10 minutes to make sure he’s dead.”

Donovan is convinced, according to the source who sold the newspaper the tape, that the mayor was under the influence of some sort of drug.

“People have been watching the video and calling up and saying that this is clearly somebody who was on something that is fueled by drug as opposed to alcohol,” he said.

Donovan says the video was recorded somewhere in the Toronto area of August this year.

“It’s not a public visit, but certainly a visit to supporters and my information that those supporters were very upset and very concerned by his behaviour.”

For extensive coverage of Mayor Rob Ford, click here. 

The timing of the video’s release comes a couple days after Mayor Ford publicly apologized for having smoked crack cocaine.

“He said quite recently ‘there’s nothing more to hide’ and it’s unfortunate that there’s a great deal more to hide,” Donovan said on why the newspaper decided to release the tape so soon after Ford admitted to drug use.

“And I think next week, if there’s a release of some of these search warrants documents that have already been previously sealed, we may get even more of an understanding of what he behaviour is like.”