Teenage boy shot in the head in front of distraught mum after striking cop with baton in courthouse
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A teenage boy was shot in the head in front of his own mum in a courthouse after he allegedly struck out at a police officer with a baton.
Steven Bertrand, 18, is said to have become violent and aggressive after guards at Maniwaki courthouse, in Quebec, Canada, refused to let him go outside for a cigarette.
During the scuffle, Bertrand is believed to have grabbed the officer's telescopic baton, before striking him over the head.
The officer then reached for his gun and fired at the defendant , according to initial reports by the Independent Investigation Bureau.
Shocking footage, filmed on a mobile phone by Bertrand's cousin, Christopher Lacaille, shows an officer attempting to subdue the teenager by putting him in a headlock.
(Image: Facebook)
Bertrand can be seen throwing punches before the pair move into an adjoining room.
Around half a dozen policemen are surrounding the doorway, while Bertrand's mother, Julie, watches in horror.
Moments later, she screams and starts crying hysterically, just as Mr Lacaille runs over to her, capturing the sound of the gunshot on camera.
Lacaille told Le Soleil : "It's not an experience to live. I cannot stop thinking about that."
Amazingly, Bertrand was not killed in the shooting, with the bullet narrowly missing his eye socket and his brain.
He is now in a stable condition in hospital, and is expected to make a full recovery.
Updating friends and family in a Facebook post, Mr Lacaille wrote: "Steven is fine, he was touched close to the eye. The bull has ricocheted up his neck, but it is fine.
"He will get by. No problem to the brain, everything is beautiful, thank god."
(Image: Facebook)
(Image: Facebook)
The officer who was hit in the head with the baton needed stitches, but is also recovering.
The shocking video has now been watched over 1.4 million times, and some viewers have even posted death threats against the policeman in question.
Minister of Justice, Stéphanie Vallée, has called for the trolls to stop their hateful comments.
She said: "One can be shocked by a situation, but to answer that way, to respond with violence, no matter in what situation, it can have a boomerang effect.
“I find it totally unacceptable to make such comments on social media.”
Bertrand was at the courthouse for a sentencing hearing, but the charges against him were not revealed.
It is not clear what new charges will be brought against him after his recovery.