The mother of an 18-year-old man fatally shot by a Toronto police officer on an empty streetcar nearly three years ago said her son should be remembered for more than just the last moments of his young life.

In a sit-down interview with CP24 late Thursday afternoon, Sahar Bahadi, mother of Sammy Yatim, said there was so much more to her son than the images that have been seen by the public of the moments leading up to his death.

“The life of Sammy is not just these 20 or 30 minutes on the streetcar,” she said. “I wanted the public to know that Sammy is not just that 30 minutes which (people) see on the TV.”

Yatim was fatally shot by Toronto police Const. James Forcillo while armed with a knife aboard a streetcar on Dundas Street in July 2013.

Forcillo was acquitted of second-degree murder in connection with Yatim’s death, but was found guilty of attempted murder for firing a second volley of shots after the teen was already down.

His sentencing hearing is currently ongoing. The Crown is asking for a prison term of between eight to 10 years, while Forcillo’s defence team is arguing that the mandatory minimum sentence of five years is not appropriate.

They are asking for house arrest or a suspended sentence.

Bahadi said that yesterday in court had been the most difficult day for her so far.

“I couldn’t imagine that the defence team (would) mention that after the first volley, after the first three bullets, that my son (was) paralyzed, and the second (round of gunshots) it doesn’t matter, he doesn’t feel anything because he’s paralyzed,” she said.

“I felt they were insulting my son.”

She described her son as a “wonderful boy” and a “present from God” – a strong student and athlete who also had an artistic side.

“He was very beloved (by) everybody – his teachers, his friends, his family,” she said.

Bahadi said she has struggled with how Forcillo could be found guilty of attempted murder for his actions which left her he son dead.

“Attempted murder, the outcome is a life – a live victim,” she said. “Murder is a dead victim.”

Asked about the sentence she hoped Forcillo received, she said that police officers “should not be above the law.”

“They are for protecting the people, not murdering them.”

The Crown is slated to make its arguments regarding Forcillo’s sentence next week.