Video circulating on social media shows an incident that occurred during an arrest at a Toronto plaza over the weekend.
Toronto police say they are aware of a video that has surfaced online which shows a cruiser running over a suspect and an arresting officer following an incident at a North York plaza this weekend.
In a statement to CTV News, police say they were called to Jane Park Plaza on Nov. 1, south of Jane Street and Eglinton Avenue West, for reports of a person armed with knives who was actively damaging vehicles.
In the short, 43-second video posted to social media, a suspect can be seen walking away from the officers as a conducted energy weapon is deployed to subdue them. As the suspect and an object they were holding fall to the ground, the officers move in to make the arrest.
“As officers moved to take the suspect into custody, another officer arrived on scene to assist,” police said.
As that officer leaves their police vehicle to assist their colleagues; the cruiser continues to roll towards, and makes contact with, the group.
“During this response, the officer’s vehicle inadvertently rolled forward into both the suspect and one of the arresting officers,” police said.
The officer then tries to push the vehicle back with their colleagues, to no avail, before jumping back into the cruiser.
Once the officer gets back in the vehicle, they accelerate forward and run over the suspect and the officer who was on the ground, who screams at their colleague to “back up.”
As the cruiser reverses, police complete the arrest and the officer who was pinned limps away holding their knee.
Paramedics assessed both individuals, neither of whom sustained serious injuries.
The SIU says it has not been notified of this incident, likely because no serious injury was sustained.
It’s unclear what charges the suspect is facing.
“We are actively reviewing the circumstances and are grateful there were no serious injuries during this dynamic incident,” police said.