A police officer in Halifax testified on Monday that he had to physically intervene to stop a bouncer from choking a patron outside a downtown bar nearly three years ago. Const. Jairus Lamphier recounted the incident at the Nova Scotia Supreme Court trial of Alexander Pishori Levy, a former security officer at the Halifax Alehouse, who faces charges of manslaughter and criminal negligence in the death of Ryan Sawyer on December 24, 2022.
The officer described arriving at the scene to find Levy holding Sawyer in a concerning position, with Levy applying pressure on Sawyer’s neck. Despite Lamphier’s repeated demands to release the hold, Levy appeared focused and did not comply until the officer physically intervened. Sawyer was unresponsive, with his eyes rolled back and tongue swollen, prompting officers to perform CPR before he was taken to the hospital, where he later passed away.
The tragic incident has sparked discussions on the training and oversight of bar security personnel, with Sawyer’s family advocating for stricter regulations in the industry. Lamphier’s testimony was part of the evidence presented in court, where four officers, including Sawyer’s twin brother Kyle Sawyer, also provided their accounts of the events leading to the fatal altercation.
According to Kyle Sawyer’s testimony, the altercation began after he accidentally spilled a drink on another patron, leading to a confrontation that escalated outside the bar. Sawyer recounted being put in a chokehold by bar security after a physical altercation, while acknowledging his own intoxication that night.
The trial is ongoing, with further testimonies and evidence expected to be presented in the coming days. The Halifax Alehouse has since closed, and the property was sold to a commercial real estate developer in December.
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