Marvel star Simu Liu speaks out about Mississauga teen with autism who was Tasered by police

Marvel superhero star Simu Liu spoke out against a police encounter that left a non-verbal Mississauga teen with autism tasered with injuries all over his body.

On Nov. 4, Abdullah Darwich, 19, left his house in Mississauga, wearing only his shorts. Neighbours reportedly called police concerned about his well-being in the cold weather and after he tried to enter a car and a house. He sat on a lawn playing in the fallen leaves until police arrived.

Peel Region Police said in a statement that “officers were unsuccessful in communicating with the male, who appeared to be in distress and was not responding to officers.”

Darwich reportedly was left with six possible Taser injuries in addition to cuts and bruises all over his body. He was also traumatized by the encounter.

“This story is difficult to watch and highlights the importance of specialized training in law enforcement,” Liu wrote in an Instagram reel on the weekend. “This boy was tased and brutalized because police could not identify his sensory needs.”

Darwich was listed on a Vulnerable Persons registry designed to inform officers about people’s circumstances. The registry typically includes an image of the person and information about their needs. However, police said the officers were unaware of this.

“The registry is only effective if that known information is provided to us,” police added.

If police had known Darwich’s name or responded to his home, they would have known he was on the registry.

However, Liu joins autism advocates in calling for training for first responders offered by organizations such as KultureCity, a U.S. based organization that provides such training.

“Unfortunate that this happened where I grew up in Mississauga Ontario,” Liu wrote. “I’m currently working w @kulturecity to address this with relevant authorities and ensure that this never happens again.”

KultureCity provides Sensory Inclusive training for first responders as people with invisible disabilities tend to react differently and get overwhelmed more easily than neurotypical people.

“These factors, along with the communication challenges, means there is a lot of opportunity for confusion and actions that can be misinterpreted or cause additional escalation during emergency situations,” KultureCity notes on their website.

Autism Ontario also calls “for increased education and training of police on how to better respond to calls involving vulnerable individuals, especially those on the autism spectrum,” the organization said in a statement.

“We are disheartened that the Peel Regional Police used unnecessary force resulting in injuries to Abdullah Darwich,” the Autism Ontario statement reads. “Questions remain as to why Peel Regional Police did not involve a Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team or consult their Vulnerable Persons Registry. When autistic individuals are involved with law enforcement, there is a higher likelihood of a negative outcome.”

Autism Ontario also calls for police to review their de-escalation practices to prevent the use of unnecessary force in future situations.

“Autism Ontario encourages the Peel Regional Police to prioritize rebuilding trust within the autism community through a commitment to ongoing education and improved responses involving vulnerable individuals,” the statement read.