Algoma U students taken down at gunpoint. Why?

This is the continuation of SooToday.com's coverage of the police takedown of two students at Algoma University. To return to the beginning of this article, please click here.

Police Chief Bob Davies says police had received information that the Toronto suspect was somewhere in the downtown Sault area.

Totime understood the police to say to him that phone calls from the suspect had been traced to Sault Ste. Marie.

So Station Mall security had been asked by the police to keep an eye out for the suspect.

And, Chief Davies says, it was mall security who phoned police, indicating that the wanted man had been spotted in the parking lot.

Were there reasonable grounds to believe Totime was that suspect?

Or was he taken down simply because of his race?

Chief Davies says a professional standards investigation is underway to answer that question.

"It’s a very unfortunate incident. It’s too bad it happened that way," Davies said.

Police apologized to Totime and Syrette (shown above) at the scene, but Davies said he also intended to contact them and apologize personally.

He also intended to contact senior university officials to assure them that international students are appreciated in the Sault.

Algoma Central Properties Inc., which owns and runs the mall, was asked yesterday by SooToday.com to explain its role in the mistaken identity.

So far, they're been unresponsive.

On the other hand, the Algoma University Student Union has a great deal to say. "We oppose the public humiliation which Robert and Travis were subjected to by the police in front of their peers," says AUSU President Lance Adjetey.

"The Algoma University Student Union emphatically opposes any unjust treatment, harassment or unnecessary threat of force used by the police, against any of Algoma's students.... We are thankful that Robert and Travis were able to walk away from the ordeal, as these situations sometimes result in a tragic loss of life. We will support Robert and Travis to the fullest possible extent to ensure that justice is served, and to ensure that our students are spared from experiencing similar incidents of harassment in the future."

Interestingly, the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police sent SooToday.com an announcement just today about the "pernicious influence" of racial profiling.

"The OACP affirms that police organizations and their individual members, especially given the unique authority bestowed on police by society, have a heightened responsibility to ensure their decisions are free of all bias, racial or otherwise," the group said.

"The OACP encourages police services throughout Ontario to continue implementing ongoing positive measures to prevent bias in policing and to promote harmonious relationships with all the diverse communities they serve.

"The measures referred to above include: policy, human resources and training processes, systems of supervision and accountability as well as proactive community engagement."

Robert Totime tells SooToday.com that he is seeking legal advice.