Toronto Police Vehicle ‘Inadvertently’ Runs Into Suspect, Officer During Arrest

A Toronto police vehicle is shown parked on Yonge Street in downtown Toronto on Jan. 3, 2023. The Canadian Press/Doug Ives

A Toronto police officer’s vehicle “inadvertently” rolled into a suspect and another officer during an arrest at a North York plaza on Nov. 1, according to the city’s police.

A video of the incident, posted on social media, shows one officer deploying a taser on the suspect, who was walking away and then fell in front of a police vehicle. As the officer operating the vehicle steps out to assist in the arrest, the car begins to roll forward into the suspect and the officer who had deployed the taser and had approached to help the suspect.

When the officer who was operating the vehicle returns to take control, he appears to accelerate accidentally—with at least one of the legs of the suspect, who appears to be screaming throughout the incident, getting caught under a tire. The officer who was rolled into is heard yelling at the driver to “back up” before the vehicle is moved. Officers can be heard at the end of the video telling the suspect to “stop resisting.”

Toronto Police Service spokesperson Stephanie Sayer told The Epoch Times the police force is aware of a video of the incident circulating online and that officers were responding to reports of a person armed with knives who was actively damaging nearby vehicles. The incident took place in the Jane Park Plaza parking lot, and police sought to disarm the suspect by deploying a conducted energy weapon, she said.

“As officers moved to take the suspect into custody, another officer arrived on scene to assist,” Sayer said. “During this response, the officer’s vehicle inadvertently rolled forward into both the suspect and one of the arresting officers.”

The suspect’s identity was not released by police, but the Toronto Police Association said in a Nov. 3 statement the suspect is a woman.

Neither the suspect nor the officer sustained serious injuries, Sayer said, noting that paramedics assessed both at the scene. The suspect was taken to hospital as part of the standard procedure following the deployment of a conducted energy weapon.

It isn’t clear what charges the suspect is facing. A conviction for mischief involving private property valued over $5,000 can carry a prison sentence of up to 10 years.

In conducting arrests, police officers are justified in using force as long as they act on reasonable grounds and use only as much force as reasonably necessary in the circumstances, according to the Criminal Code.

“Neither sustained serious injuries from the vehicle contact and both were medically cleared,” Sayer said. “We are actively reviewing the circumstances and are grateful there were no serious injuries during this dynamic incident.”