OTTAWA, Jan 26 — A Canadian policeman could be jailed for life after a jury found him guilty yesterday of attempted murder in the fatal shooting of a knife-wielding teenager on a Toronto streetcar in 2013.

Constable James Forcillo, a six-year veteran with an otherwise unblemished record, was however acquitted of two more serious charges of second-degree, or not premeditated, murder and manslaughter.

His lawyer Peter Brauti said he would review the decision for a possible appeal and has asked for a stay to have it effectively quashed, while police groups voiced outrage.

Clearly he is shocked and disappointed by the verdict, Brauti said, contending that a video of the incident posted online had unfairly swayed the jury.

It was a trial by YouTube, he said, speaking to reporters outside the courtroom.

Sammy Yatim, 18, was alone on downtown streetcar in the early hours of July 27, 2013 when police asked him multiple times to drop his knife, according to witnesses and amateur video posted on YouTube.

Nine shots were eventually fired, killing the young man of Syrian origin who arrived in Canada five years earlier with his family.

Journalists and the public quickly questioned the decision to open fire, while shocked family and friends of the victim expressed anger at what they called a disproportionate police response.

The jury dismissed a first volley of shots fired by Forcillo that knocked Yatim to the ground, but decided that a second volley was unnecessary and thus amounted to attempted murder.

The verdict sends a chilling message to officers who routinely deal with violent situations, police union president Mike McCormac said. Will they hesitate when they should take action?

A lawyer for the Yatim family countered that it shouldn’t be us against the police anymore, it should be us and the community along with good police officers against bad policing. That’s the change we need.

Yatim’s mother, Sahar Bahadi, called for changes in police training on how to better deal with people in crisis to prevent more deaths.

Sammy was a young man who had his whole future ahead of him, she said. Because of what the police did, we lost him forever.

Nothing in this world will compensate me for the loss of my son, nor do anything to bring him back to me, but I would like for the sake of this great country for the police to remain a source of confidence, security, and respect for all people.

Forcillo’s sentencing and motions will be heard May 16-27, Toronto Star said. — AFP