An unarmed Toronto man who was arrested at gunpoint outside his home and released minutes later says he thinks police were out of line.

According to his account, Gus Gustavo, 41, was on the driveway of his home near Kipling Ave. and Finch Ave. on the night of March 15, when he saw a car with no lights pull up.

As he was walking towards his house, he said a light was shone on him and he heard “gun noises,” and someone yelling to get on the ground.

He started walking faster, he said, not realizing it was police. He was about to get to the door when an officer ran up to him with a gun and told him to get down.

He yelled at his girlfriend, Alicia Jackson, who was inside the house, to record what was happening and said before she could begin recording, he was tackled by police.

Toronto Police Service director of corporate communications, Mark Pugash, confirmed in an email Gustavo was detained and handcuffed, however he said he “was not tackled” and complied with officers’ orders to get on the ground.

Pugash said the officers were in the area responding to “an armed hold up involving a shotgun” nearby and were assigned to check the area for suspects.

He confirmed the officers drew their firearms, but said the officers saw “a suspicious man” and “believed he was evading police.”

The incident was resolved safely, said Pugash and Gustavo was released three minutes later.

“They have to take all reasonable steps to protect themselves and anyone involved,” said Pugash. “They did exactly what they should have done under the circumstances.”

Pugash said no complaints have been filed and no officers have been disciplined over the incident.

In the video, Gustavo is seen facedown in the snow and handcuffed with an officer on his back.

“Release him, you have arrested an innocent man, remove his cuffs,” yells Jackson.

The cuffs are taken off and Gustavo is able to get up. There is then a heated exchange between Gustavo and Jackson and police.

A female officer is seen and heard apologizing to Gustavo for what happened and said a report will be filed. If he has any issues he is told to contact the division.

Gustavo, who does plumbing work for a living, said he was “very upset,” by the incident.

“They pulled out weapons that they have in their possession to protect me, to protect you, to protect the public and for them just to pull them out just like that it was not good,” he said.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Gustavo said he and his girlfriend have collectively gone to the police department twice about the incident and have called three times, but he said nothing has come out of it.

“What I’m hoping for is justice,” he said. “I want (the officers) to be held responsible and I want these guys to be made an example of according to what law will allow to happen. To pull a gun on someone like this that could have gone completely out of hand.”