Halifax bouncer found guilty of manslaughter in 2022 death of bar patron

A Nova Scotia judge has found a bouncer guilty of manslaughter and criminal negligence causing death for the killing of a patron outside a Halifax bar on Christmas Eve 2022, in a case that exposed the province’s lack of training and licensing for security guards at drinking establishments.

In his decision, Supreme Court of Nova Scotia Justice James Chipman determined that Alexander Pishori Levy unlawfully killed Ryan Sawyer after an altercation by placing him in a chokehold for two minutes, which caused him to go into cardiac arrest. When Mr. Sawyer went limp, Mr. Levy failed to assist or seek medical attention for him, which the judge said showed a reckless disregard for safety.