Convicted of manslaughter, Halifax bouncer sentenced to four years in prison

HALIFAX — A bouncer at a downtown Halifax bar who killed an Ontario man during a scuffle on Christmas Eve in 2022 has been sentenced to four years in prison.

In November, Alexander Pishori Levy was convicted by a judge of manslaughter and criminal negligence causing death.

Levy was head of security at the Halifax Alehouse when there was a minor altercation inside the bar, and he asked 31-year-old Ryan Michael Sawyer and his brother to leave.

During a tussle outside the bar, Levy placed Sawyer in a chokehold for nearly two minutes.

Sawyer suffered a heart attack and died in hospital.

During Levy’s trial, Sawyer’s brother Kyle testified that he and his brother had each consumed about eight to 10 beers during the course of the evening, and Levy told the court he applied the hold because he was worried Ryan Sawyer would overpower him.

Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice James Chipman said he found inconsistencies in what Levy told the court, which undermined his credibility.

In a written ruling, Chipman said Levy did not use de-escalation techniques even though he had been trained how to use them during his 17 years in the bar security business.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 24, 2026.

The Canadian Press

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