Toronto police say an inmate who escaped from custody at a downtown hospital last month has now been captured.
Justin Yates, 39, fled from guards at Toronto General Hospital, located at 200 Elizabeth St., on Jan. 26.
Yates, who was at the hospital for an undisclosed ailment, managed to escape from handcuffs and leg irons, police say.
After he broke free, investigators say he took a cab to the area of Yonge and Dundas streets.
Officers immediately launched a manhunt for the escaped inmate and on Saturday, police received a tip that Yates was in the area of Dundas Street East and Parliament Street.
"The officers went to that intersection and they were able to see him as he exited a building. When he saw the officers, he ran back into the building and officers gave chase. As they got into an apartment that he tried to flee into, they caught him just as he had smashed out the window and was attempting to jump through it," Const. David Hopkinson told CP24 Sunday.
"Officers caught him, placed him under arrest. He grabbed a piece of broken glass, slashed at the officers, shimmied out of his shoes and fell three storeys to the ground below."
Hopkinson said Yates, who was uninjured in the fall, got up and ran into another building.
"We cordoned the area off and we went on a room-by-room search and he was apprehended a short time later," he added.
Yates was taken to hospital to be assessed and appeared in court on Sunday morning.
Hopkinson said Yates has a history of attempting to escape and disguising himself.
"Now from time to time, those corrections officers and the police have to bring people to the hospital. It is not a secure facility and there are times when custody is very difficult," he noted.
Yates has been charged with two counts of escaping lawful custody, possession of property obtained by crime, assaulting a police officer with a weapon and mischief under $5,000.
