Project Brazen 2 detectives, the Toronto officers probing activities of Mayor Rob Ford and others, are investigating the so-called “murder rant video” that shows Ford vowing to kill someone.

That video, obtained last fall by the Star, bubbled back into the news this week when Scott MacIntyre, the former common-law spouse of Ford’s sister, alleged in court papers that he was the intended victim in the video. MacIntyre said a severe beating he later received came from a plan hatched the night the video was made. MacIntyre’s allegations have not been proven in court. Ford has not yet addressed the allegations.

Police sources have confirmed to the Star that detectives have been investigating matters related to the “murder rant video” since it was first made public in early November. Police have been trying to determine when and where it was made, who made it, who Ford is talking about on the video, and if threats heard on the video are serious.

Project Brazen 2 is led by Det. Sgt. Gary Giroux. His special squad was formed almost a year ago after Gawker and the Star first published news of the existence of the crack cocaine video. To date, the squad has charged several people, including Ford friend Alexander “Sandro” Lisi. Lisi faces an extortion charge related to aggressive attempts to retrieve the crack video. Lisi and three others face drug charges as well.

The crack video, filmed in early 2013, is in the possession of Toronto police.

The “murder rant video” was filmed as much as a year before the crack video and features an impaired Ford in a living room ranting and raving, slapping his stomach and vowing to kill someone not identified on the video. Among Ford’s on-video remarks are a promise to “rip his f---ing throat out,” and “I’m gonna kill that f---ing guy.” Off-camera, a male voice speaks to Ford, goading him into making comments in a manner not unlike the off-camera remarks made in the infamous crack video. (The off-camera voices on the two videos are different).

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According to MacIntyre’s lawsuit and a Star source unconnected to MacIntyre, the “murder rant video” was filmed at the Etobicoke home of Payman Aboodowleh, a man who used to help Ford coach football. MacIntyre alleges the video was filmed in March 2012, shortly before a vicious beating was inflicted on him in jail, where he was awaiting sentencing on charges that he threatened to kill the mayor.

MacIntyre states in a legal claim filed in court that Ford feared his habit of doing drugs and hanging out with criminals would become public and the beating was a warning intended to silence MacIntyre.

MacIntyre alleges the beating was carried about by three inmates, one of them a man Ford used to coach. MacIntyre claims Ford and Aboodowleh conspired to arrange the beating.

Ford has not responded to questions about MacIntyre’s claims. Ford lawyer Dennis Morris told reporters Wednesday that MacIntyre’s claims are “irresponsible and spurious.” Ford told a U.S. radio station Thursday that he could not comment because the matter was before the courts.

It is not known how far detectives have gotten in their quest to learn what the “murder rant video” was all about. When it first surfaced last November there was much speculation about who Ford is referring to in his addled rant. Police Chief Bill Blair? A political foe?

Within minutes of the Star publishing the video in November, Ford emerged from his city hall office and confirmed the video was real.

“All I can say is, again, I’ve made mistakes. I just wanted to come out and tell you I saw a video. It’s extremely embarrassing. The whole world’s going to see it. You know what? I don’t have a problem with that,” Ford told reporters.

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“I hope none of you have ever or will ever be in that state. Obviously, I was extremely, extremely inebriated.”

The special Toronto police squad probing Ford-related matters has apparently not spoken to MacIntyre, though police will if he files a complaint, according to police spokesman Mark Pugash.

When MacIntyre was beaten in March 2012 (the facts of his beating are contained in court documents readily available to police), he was interviewed by corrections officials at the Metro West Detention Centre, according to a Toronto police source. But MacIntyre did not want to talk to police at the time and police did not seek him out.

“If Mr. MacIntyre reports a crime to us, we will investigate it,” Pugash told the Star Thursday.