One on one with Majd Darwich, father of autistic son tasered by police in Mississauga

Khaled Iwamura chats with Majd Darwich, father of autistic son tasered by police in Mississauga.

On Nov. 4, Abdullah Darwich, 19, who has autism and is nonverbal, left his house in Mississauga.

He walked through his neighbourhood wearing only shorts until he settled in a neighbouring yard where he sat playing in the fallen leaves.

Peel Regional Police said they got a call about “a suspicious person in a state of undress, attempting to enter a vehicle and a house.”

When officers found Darwich, they couldn’t communicate with him and somehow they ended up tasering him.

He was left with Taser injuries in addition to cuts and bruises all over his body.

Questions:

It’s been more than a month (Nov. 4) since the police tasered your son Abdullah, how is he doing now?

What happened that night with Abdullah?

Was he carrying a weapon?

What do you think the cops should have done?

I understand Abdullah is on the police’s vulnerable person registry. Why couldn’t the police find him and how could this improve?

I understand your family fled Syria for a better life in Canada and Mississauga. Has this incident changed your opinion of Canada and Mississauga?

Why have you decided to sue the police?

What would you say to the police officers that tasered Abdullah, if you had the chance?

Tell me about Abdullah and what he likes doing.