Fatal Shooting in North York
A man is dead after being shot by a Toronto police officer on Saturday afternoon in North York. The incident occurred in the residential area near Wilson and King High Avenues, east of Allen Road, according to Toronto police. The province's police watchdog, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), has invoked its mandate and is investigating.
Police said they responded to the area at around 1:24 p.m. for reports of a damaged vehicle driving erratically. The vehicle was involved in a collision and the driver attempted to flee the scene, police said. During an interaction with the driver, one officer discharged their firearm. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, and no officers were injured.
According to the SIU, officers arrived and encountered a man who was in possession of a firearm. The SIU said in a statement, "There was an interaction between the man and two officers, and one of the officers discharged his firearm." The man was struck and later pronounced dead at the scene. The SIU has assigned four investigators and three forensic investigators to the case.
Identity and Weapons Recovered
The deceased has been identified as a 26-year-old man, as reported by CP24. Toronto police sources told CP24 that at least two guns were recovered from the scene, including a handgun with a drum magazine. A viewer photo shared with the outlet shows the handgun on the ground. Sources also said a second gun was found inside the vehicle.
Community and Witness Reactions
The shooting has rattled a neighborhood where such incidents are rare. One resident told CP24 they heard "pops" and said, "This doesn't happen so much in our neighbourhood," calling it "very, very, very, very rare."
Jeremy Pilarski, a witness, recounted to CP24 that he had just opened his door to go into his backyard when he heard three gunshots. "I was certain they were gunshots. It didn't sound like anything I had heard before, and my son was with me, so I made sure he got down," Pilarski said. He then went to his front door and saw two police officers standing over a man who had been shot. Officers began CPR a few minutes later.
Coun. James Pasternak, who represents the area and attended the scene, described the incident as a "traumatic moment" for the community. "This is always disturbing when we see this kind of violence in our city when criminal elements get in confrontations with police and has a tragic outcome," Pasternak said. He expressed hope that the SIU investigation would conclude quickly.
Police Association Response
Clayton Campbell, president of the Toronto Police Association, commented on the incident, emphasizing the difficulty officers face. "The last thing (the officers) want to do is use force," Campbell said. He added, "Thank goodness today we have our officers going home alive."
The SIU is asking anyone with information to contact its lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529.