Toronto man allegedly wielding knife made it to Premier Doug Ford's front door, source says
A man allegedly wielding a large knife and yelling threats made it to the front door of Premier Doug Ford's Toronto home on Monday night, a source says.
According to a spokesperson for the Ford’s office, a man arrived at the suburban home just before 6 p.m. and started yelling threats.
Police say before approaching Ford’s house, the suspect slashed the tires of multiple vehicles.
A source close to the investigation told CP24 that once on the Ford property, the suspect, who made it to the front door of the private home, was told to drop the knife several times before he eventually did.
Ford was not home at the time, but his wife arrived just minutes after the incident occurred, the source says.
A photo of the knife involved in the incident has been obtained by CP24.
"The premier thanks the officer for his quick action and bravery, which resulted in no harm to anyone involved in the incident," the premier’s office said in a statement Tuesday.
According to police, 44-year-old George Niras of Toronto, was arrested at in connection with the incident.
He is charged with possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and 11 counts of mischief to property under $5,000.
Toronto Police Chief James Ramer said Tuesday he is "very concerned" by the incident.
"I've been in discussions with the OPP commissioner and in terms of the security out there," Ramer said. "It's an unfortunate incident."
Ford's home has been the site of numerous protests over the last year. In a November 2020 news conference, the premier lashed out at individuals for protesting the province's lockdown measures and disrupting his neighbours, calling them "buffoons."
"I have the best neighbours anyone could ever ask for. They didn't sign up for this, they aren't making decisions for the government, it is totally unfair. It's unacceptable that they have to put up with this because they're living beside the premier," Ford said at the time.
A month earlier, the premier said that a group of protesters were showing up at his home every Saturday morning. Ford said that he had to call the fire department after one particular incident in which a protester "threw blood on the street."
"You want to protest, God bless you, freedom of speech, come down [to Queen’s Park], protest, do whatever you want," Ford said. "Don't scare the kids in the neighbourhood. You are scaring them. You are intimidating them."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.