The 31-year-old man charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of veteran Toronto police const. Jeffrey Northrup in July has been granted bail.
Umar Zameer will be released on a bail of $335,000 with conditions that he reside with his sureties, under electronic supervision.
It was early on July 2 when Northrup and his partner, who were in plainclothes at the time, responded to a “priority call” at the underground garage of Toronto City Hall. Police officials said the call was initially classified as a robbery call, but was subsequently upgraded to a stabbing.
While the exact details surrounding the case haven’t been disclosed due to a publication ban, officers said Northrup was struck by a vehicle and was rushed to a downtown hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Zameer was arrested and subsequently charged with first-degree murder. The allegations against him haven’t been proven in court.
In a virtual bail hearing Wednesday, Zameer appeared via zoom from the Toronto South Detention Centre where he has been housed since his arrested wearing an orange suit and mask and listened as a list of conditions was read out by the judge.
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Zameer must remain in his residence at all times and will be under constant electronic supervision. He is permitted to leave with a surety only for the purposes of work, to meet with his lawyer, to attend a medical or dental appointment or to seek emergency medical care.
Zameer must also surrender his passport and is not permitted to leave the province of Ontario or attend any international airport or provincial border crossing.
He must not possess any weapons nor is he allowed to operate a motor vehicle.
Following the incident in July, Toronto Police Chief James Ramer called it an “intentional, deliberate attack.”
A funeral was held for Northrup at BMO field and was attended by thousands of various emergency services workers and officers.
Zameer’s lawyer, Nader Hasan, told Global News in a statement on Wednesday that “Mr. Zameer’s family is very pleased with the outcome of today’s hearing. They welcome him home. I know it comes amidst a tragedy for officer Northrup’s family and again express my condolences.”
Hasan added the publication ban prevents him from discussing the evidence from the hearing or the reasons that led to the court’s decision to grant bail.
Hasan said he has advised the court and the Crown of his intention “to seek to vary the terms of the publication ban so that the public will better understand this case and why the court reached this decision.”
“When an individual charged with a serious crime has been granted bail, the public is inevitably curious about the reason. We can only respond that there is much more to this case and to this tragic situation than meets the eye. In due course, this will become clear,” he added.
The case returns to court in October.
—With files from Catherine McDonald
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