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A Toronto police officer is recovering in hospital after being shot during a robbery investigation early Thursday morning.
Officers responded to a robbery call for a stolen e-bike near Bloor Street E. and Sherbourne Street around 3:21 a.m. on Thursday morning, said Toronto police spokesperson Stephanie Miceli.
A 27-year-old suspect was located a short distance away and officers ran after them, said Deputy Chief Lauran Pogue at a news conference.
She said the suspect allegedly shot one of the officers in the upper thigh during the arrest.
Other officers at the scene immediately applied a tourniquet to the injured officer and he was taken to hospital, where he remains with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries, said Pogue.
Toronto Police work the scene where an officer was shot responding to an e-bike robbery in Toronto Thursday morning. (Keito Newman/The Canadian Press)
Police were able to arrest the suspect a short while later and a firearm was also recovered, she said. The suspect was out on conditions for weapons-related offences and was also wanted for warrants in Peel Region and Waterloo.
Pogue said officers did not fire any of their weapons in the incident.
She said the investigation is still in the early stages, as investigators work to piece together the sequence of events.
A second suspect was involved in the incident and has not yet been located by police, she said.
Hundreds of officers injured on the job this year: union
Pogue said the “deeply concerning” incident was yet another example of why stronger deterrence is needed for this type of violence.
“While we are relieved that the officer is in stable condition, an incident like this has a profound impact on everyone in the Toronto Police Service and the broader policing family,” she said, adding the injured officer has been with the service for about three years.
“It’s also a stark reminder of the violence our officers can face while doing their jobs and protecting our communities.”
The violence seen against Toronto police officers is “unacceptable, said Clayton Campbell, president of the Toronto Police Association, at the news conference.
He expressed frustration at having another Toronto officer shot while in the line of duty. On June 11, Const. Marc Pinizzotto died after being shot during an investigation into multiple shootings in the city.
Campbell claimed over 600 Toronto officers have been injured this year while on the job.
“While most of us were sleeping in our beds, this officer was out there keeping the city safe,” he said, adding the association will continue to support the officer and his family.
Officer expected to recover: mayor
In a post on the social media platform X, Mayor Olivia Chow said the officer was expected to recover and thanked Toronto police for their response to the incident.
“This is another reminder of what frontline officers face each day as they serve our city and work to keep people safe,” she said.
Toronto Fire Chief Jim Jessop also thanked Toronto police in a post on X. He also wished the injured officer a swift recovery.
Mayoral candidate and City Coun. Brad Bradford said on X that the city stands with the injured officer and that incidents like this cannot be allowed to become routine in Toronto.