Former Montreal officer cleared in Nicholas Gibbs killing suing ethics commissioner

MONTREAL — A former Montreal police officer cleared of wrongdoing after he killed a Black man while on duty is suing the police ethics commissioner for $1.1 million.

Philippe Bertrand alleges in a complaint filed June 2 at the Montreal courthouse that the commissioner’s five-year delay in rendering its decision on the killing cost him his job and caused permanent psychological harm.

Bertrand shot 23-year-old Nicholas Gibbs five times in August 2018 after police were called about a fight between two men on the street.

Quebec’s independent police watchdog investigated the shooting and the police ethics commissioner received a complaint accusing Bertrand of using excessive force.