Toronto police officer expected to recover after stabbing

A Toronto police officer is in serious, but stable condition at Sunnybrook hospital after he was stabbed in the neck while conducting a traffic stop in North York on Sunday night.

Sources tell CityNews his name is Jeff Blair — a married father of two — who works out of 13 Division.

Another 38-year-old man, Peter Lumanglas, was shot several times at the same scene — a quiet residential area near Bathurst Street and Wilson Avenue. He’s also at Sunnybrook listed in critical condition.

Few details have been released about the incident and what led to the stabbing and shooting. Police said the officer pulled over a vehicle for a traffic stop at Northmount and Delhi avenues around 11 p.m. Sunday.

Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair visited the wounded officer in hospital Monday morning.

“He’s stable and I’m confident he’ll be fine,” Blair said.

He later released a YouTube video thanking an off-duty firefighter who responded, as well as paramedics and hospital staff.

In the video, he said the officer is expected to experience a “slow period of recovery.”

“It was a potentially life-threatening injury that he received. But we’re very confident that he’ll recover from his injuries,” Blair said, adding the officer’s family is with him at the hospital.

The province’s police watchdog, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), said shots rang out following an “interaction” between a man and an officer.

We saw officers jumping out of their cars, guns drawn,” local resident Len List told CityNews. “There were so many police officers. It was such a large scene that was taking place in front of us that we just basically left thinking we had to get out of there.”

Mike Salb, a firefighter who lives in the area, heard shots while he was inside his home and he ran out to help the wounded officer. He said he heard the officer call out “stop, police” and then heard five shots.

“I put my clothes on and ran outside to see if I could help the officer. He was holding his neck,” Salb said.

He told the officer he was a firefighter. The wounded cop then asked Salb to secure his firearm.

“I took it inside my home and returned with some paper towel and a flashlight so I could see the extent of his injuries and I started first aid,” Salb said.

The SIU, which investigates incidents involving police that result in serious injury, death or allegations of sexual assault, has taken over the case. The civilian agency has assigned five investigators and two forensic investigators to the case.

“Our thoughts and our prayers are with him and his family right now and that’s all I have to say,” Toronto Police Association president Mike McCormack said of the officer Monday morning.

On Monday morning Mayor Rob Ford said the incident highlights why it’s important to support the city’s police force.

“It’s very unfortunate and that’s why we protect our police. I support them 100 per cent because they have a very, very dangerous job and I’ll continue to support them 100 per cent and that’s why I’ll stick up for them vigorously,” he said at city hall.

Monday’s stabbing is reminiscent of an attack on two Barrie police officers in July 2009 when constables Clayton Speers and David Edgar were stabbed in the neck while trying to make an arrest.

Const. Edgar told CityNews he couldn’t comment on Monday’s incident directly, adding the officer’s family “was going through enough.”

“I’m wishing the officer and his family all the best and a positive outcome. We’re all praying for a quick recovery,” he said.

“Devastating incidents such as this prove as a reminder to all of us that it is our pleasure and duty to serve and protect all the members of our community. These duties, at times, come with such risks.”