Video shows Toronto police chase one person after alleged stolen truck crashes into downtown store

Two people are in custody after an alleged stolen pickup truck struck a police horse and rammed into three cruisers before crashing into a downtown Toronto store Friday afternoon.

Toronto police said they were in the area of Queen Street West and University Avenue at around 3:15 p.m. when their Automated Licence Plate Recognition camera alerted them about the stolen Dodge Ram.

Insp. Scott Shutt said members of the Mounted Unit and community officers who were on patrol a few blocks west of the intersection observed the pickup and tried to stop it.

“As mounted officers approached the vehicle, the suspect drove towards the mounted officers, striking one of the horses,” Shutt said.

The vehicle tried to flee, striking three cruisers.

“(The vehicle) continued forward, striking head-on with a scout car. The stolen vehicle then reversed up onto the curb and fled westbound, where it collided with a second scout car and a third scout car then struck the vehicle, causing it to go up onto the curb,” Shutt said.

Video obtained by CP24 show police cruisers boxing in the pickup truck after it crashed into a store.

As one officer approaches the Dodge, one person jumps out of the vehicle and runs away.

Officers are seen going after him, including one member of the Mounted Unit. “And there’s a horse,” the person taking the video is heard saying.

After a brief chase, Shutt said the suspect was arrested before being taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The passenger in the Dodge was also taken into custody.

Meanwhile, one officer was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Shutt said, adding that a police horse named York was also taken to a veterinary hospital for assessment.

There is no word on the charges.

“It’s still very fluid, and we’re trying to figure everything out,” Shutt said.

In a post on social media, Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw said he was thankful that the injured officer will recover and no members of the public were hurt during the incident.

“Our officers do incredible but often dangerous work keeping our city safe. Thank you to all of our members for what you do everyday,” the chief wrote.