1-year-old boy dead, man shot, and OPP officer hurt in Lindsay incident

A one-year-old boy is dead, a civilian and an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer injured in an incident near Lindsay that is now being investigated by province’s police watchdog.

According to the Special Investigations Unit, it all started around 8:48 a.m. when police responded to a call in Trent Lakes about a an alleged abduction of a boy by his father.

The OPP then located a vehicle of interest in the City of Kawartha Lakes and attempted to stop the pickup truck. The truck then became involved in a collision with a police cruiser and another vehicle on Pigeon Lake Road.

An officer who was standing outside the cruiser at the time of the crash sustained serious injuries. His condition was upgraded to stable later in the day.

“An interaction ensued between the 33-year-old driver and officers, and three officers discharged their firearms,” said SIU spokesperson Monica Hudon. “The man was struck and airlifted to the hospital in grave condition.”

The one-year-old boy who was inside the pickup truck was fatally wounded by gunshot and pronounced dead at the scene.

It’s uncertain who may have fired the fatal bullet.

In a separate release, provincial police confirmed most of the SIU details except they say they were called to a residence for a report of “a domestic dispute involving a firearm.”

While the SIU will investigate the officers’ involvement in the shooting, OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said the York Regional Police have been called in to handle other aspects of the investigation.

As a result of a tragic incident today, one child is dead and two others significantly injured. I ask that @SIUOntario and @YRP be given time to investigate, without speculation on the events as they unfolded. Our thoughts & prayers are with those that are suffering today. https://t.co/wIdB2mXWYr

— Thomas Carrique (@OPPCommissioner) November 26, 2020

Kawartha Lakes Mayor Andy Letham said he’s not able to comment on an ongoing investigation, but that the shooting has shaken his central Ontario municipality.

“The community is in disbelief that this is happening,” he wrote in an email.

He added that they appreciate what provincial police officers do to keep Kawartha Lakes safe.

This is the second OPP officer to be involved in a serious incident in the past week.

Last Thursday, 28-year veteran officer Marc Hovingh was killed in a shooting on Mantioulin Island that also resulted in the death of a civilian.

Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report