Toronto police dog killed, suspect injured in ‘officer-involved’ shooting

A Toronto police K9 was shot and killed, and a 44-year-old man was injured after an officer-involved shooting in Etobicoke on Tuesday.

Toronto police say they were called to the Dixon Road and Kipling Avenue area around 8 p.m. for reports of gunshots.

According to the Special Investigations Unit, police were at an apartment on Dixon Road attempting to locate and arrest a man for second-degree murder. During the course of that arrest, the man shot at police officers and then fled the scene. Police did not return gunfire at that time.

The SIU says the suspect was located a short time later in the backyard of a nearby residence.

A Toronto police K9, who was assisting in the search for the suspect, was then shot and killed by the man, according to the SIU.

Police then shot the suspect, who was taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Police declined to identify the suspect but did confirm that the arrest was in connection to a targeted shooting inside an Etobicoke apartment building on Monday.

“Certainly, this is a difficult time for our police force,” Duty Insp. Jeff Bangild told reporters Tuesday night. “The K9 unit attends scenes daily with responding officers. They’re family.”

Toronto’s police chief, Myron Demkiw, said Bingo was the K9 member killed in the line of duty.

Bingo was a two-year-old German Shepherd who joined the Police Dog Services in July 2022 and graduated from an intense training course in December 2022.

“Thank you for keeping our members safe, and thank you for your service,” Demkiw said. “My deepest condolences to his partner and to all of our [Toronto Police K9] Unit.”

Bingo, one of our K9s, was killed in the line of duty by gunfire tonight. Thank you for keeping our members safe and thank you for your service. My deepest condolences to his partner and to all of our @TPSK9 unit. pic.twitter.com/zQFOrMfIVS

— Chief Myron Demkiw (@TPSMyronDemkiw) July 26, 2023

Premier Doug Ford also extended his condolences.

“As an animal lover, I was very saddened to learn about the passing of Bingo,” he wrote in a statement. “My condolences go out to his entire Toronto Police family.”

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person.