A 26-year-old man has died following an officer-involved shooting in North York early on Saturday afternoon, an incident that has now been handed to Ontario's police watchdog. What began as a call about an erratic driver ended with a Toronto police officer firing a weapon and a man losing his life at the scene. The case has drawn investigators to a residential Toronto neighbourhood more used to quiet than gunfire.
According to Toronto police, officers were called out shortly before 1:30 p.m. after reports of a person driving a damaged vehicle erratically in the area of Wilson and King High Avenue. The description suggested a driver who was both a hazard on the road and behaving unpredictably, prompting a quick police response to the scene.
The vehicle had reportedly been involved in a collision, after which the driver attempted to flee the scene. When officers caught up with the man, they found he was in possession of a firearm, according to the province's police watchdog, which is now leading the investigation. That discovery set the stage for a confrontation that would turn deadly.
There was an interaction between the man and the two officers, and one of the officers discharged his firearm. Paramedics attended the scene, where the man was later pronounced dead. Toronto police said the officers involved were not injured in the encounter.
The Special Investigations Unit, Ontario's independent police oversight body, has taken carriage of the case. The SIU said it has deployed four investigators and three forensic investigators to examine what happened, a standard but substantial response for an incident in which police action results in a death.
Clayton Campbell, president of the Toronto Police Association, spoke to the weight such incidents carry for officers. He said using a firearm is the last thing they want to do, and that they only do so when their own life or the life of another person is at risk. His comments framed the shooting as an outcome officers are trained to avoid whenever possible.
For those living nearby, the violence came as a jolt. A local resident said he had just stepped into his backyard when he heard gunshots, and immediately told his son to hide before making his way to the front door. He described the area as one with very little violence, adding that he still did not fully understand why it had happened, as the SIU's investigation continues.