A Toronto police officer charged with second-degree murder in the streetcar shooting death of Sammy Yatim was granted bail Tuesday afternoon and headed home.

Const. James Forcillo left court shortly after 3 p.m. walking through a media crush and into an awaiting vehicle.

He walked next to his lawyer who cautioned that Forcillo would not take any questions from the media because his case is before the courts.

Before Forcillo left the University Avenue courthouse, his lawyer Peter Brauti told reporters he would walk out through the front doors and would not avoid the media.

"He will not run and hide," he said, warning journalists that all the facts of the case have yet to come out.

"It is very early days to judge this case," he said. "People have rushed to judgement without all of the information. The defense knows some of the information but not all of it and I suspect much more information is to come."

SIU investigation

The shooting occurred early July 27 after Yatim brandished a knife on a TTC streetcar. People who were in that streetcar managed to flee when it came to a stop on Dundas Street West, at Bellwoods Avenue.

When police officers arrived a short time later, they encountered the 18-year-old man as he stood inside the streetcar near the open front door.

In a cellphone video recorded by a witness, police can be heard repeatedly shouting at Yatim to “drop the knife,” and a male voice is heard taunting the officers.

Moments later, nine gunshots are fired as officers stand on the street near the front door – three initially, and then six more about five seconds later.

The sound of a Taser is also heard after the gunshots.

After the shooting, the Special Investigations Unit – Ontario’s police watchdog -- was tasked with a criminal investigation to determine whether charges were warranted. The arm’s length agency investigates incidents involving police where there has been a death or serious injury.

Forcillo was charged with second-degree murder Monday and turned himself into police early this based on an arrangement between Brauti and the SIU, which laid a rare murder charge against the officer Monday after a three-week investigation into Yatim’s death.

The SIU refused to reveal the location of the arrest because, it says, Forcillo has received threats.

Forcillo had only spent a few hours in jail before he was released.

The courts agreed to release the officer on $510,000 bail into the custody of four sureties, all of which are family members. He also had to surrender his passport. A publication ban prohibits media from publishing details on what was said during the bail hearing.

When Brauti was asked whether it was unusual for a murder suspect to be released from custody hours after being charged, he pointed to his client's clean record.

"He didn't ask to be at the foot of that streetcar," he said. "We will have a trial about this and find out what was right or wrong but he has an excellent policing background."

Yatim’s family cancels press conference

Forcillo was remanded into custody after he made his first court appearance at Old City Hall at 10 a.m. Forcillo arrived in an unmarked van and did not speak during the brief appearance before a justice of the peace.

“(Forcillo’s) very upset and very stressed by this whole incident,” Toronto Police Association president Mike McCormack said outside the Old City Hall courthouse Tuesday morning when Forcillo was first brought into court to face the charges .

Forcillo's wife was there to support him as she was in the afternoon, but she remained silent when reporters asked her questions. It is not known if any of Yatim's relatives were in court, but there were a few people wearing T-shirts bearing a photo of Yatim, CP24's George Lagogianes reported. Yatim's friends were also spotted at the bail hearing.

Yatim's family had said they would speak to reporters “from the heart” at a news conference planned for Wednesday afternoon. However the family announced late Tuesday they were cancelling the press conference.

“We know you wanted to speak to our family and we appreciate your patience. Please understand that this has struck our family to the core,” the family's spokesperson Rania Walker said in a press release. “While we understand your interest and concern for us, we are trying to heal and regain some sense of normalcy in our lives. While we know you have questions we simply do not have the energy right now to comment.”

In addition to the SIU investigation, non-criminal reviews are being done by Toronto police and Ontario ombudsman Andre Marin.

Forcillo is currently suspended with pay, pending the outcome of the court case.

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