Suspect already in handcuffs allegedly steals Toronto police SUV with two dogs inside
A suspect already in handcuffs has allegedly managed to overpower a Toronto police officer and steal their SUV, sending police on a wild early morning chase that ended with an attempted carjacking.
Officers said they were called to a break and enter at the corner of Yonge Street and Lawrence Avenue before 4:30 a.m., where they located a male suspect and began to detain him.
In the course of the arrest, the suspect managed to overpower an arresting officer after handcuffs were placed on him, and jump into a police canine unit SUV, police said.
He then allegedly sped away to the west, with two police dogs sitting in the back of the vehicle.
Police said the suspect then crashed the SUV after pulling into the parking lot of a Metro grocery store in the Keele Street and Lawrence Avenue area.
Before police arrived, the suspect allegedly approached several cars and tried to open them, and then flagged down a taxi in an attempt to carjack it.
In exclusive video obtained by CTV News Toronto, an individual is seen running through an intersection towards a tax. The person proceeds to repeatedly hit the window on the driver’s side, eventually smashing the glass.
The driver of the taxi starts to drive away while the individual clings to the side of the vehicle.
A resident who provided the video described the incident as “scary,” and said she thought someone “was going to die.”
“He was yelling at the cab driver to open the door and when he didn’t, he smashed through,” she said.
A short time later police caught up with the suspect and took him into custody. He was transported to a hospital trauma centre in non-life-threatening condition.
The taxi driver was taken to local hospital with minor injuries, police said. The dogs in the back of the police vehicle were not harmed.
Toronto police Insp. Craig Young called the incident “quite extraordinary.”
“It was an audacious move to take a police car and engage in this kind of activity, it’s just extraordinary,” he said.
A large amount of debris was seen along Keele Street leading up to the grocery store.
Asked how a suspect could steal a police vehicle in such a manner, Craig said several times they were still working to determine what transpired, or if an internal probe into police practice was needed.
--With files from CP24's Beatrice Vaisman.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israel attacks Iran, Reuters sources say; drones reported over Isfahan
Iran fired air defence batteries early Friday morning as explosions could be heard near a major air base near Isfahan, raising fears of a possible Israeli strike following Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.