Man facing charges including attempted murder in stabbing that injured Toronto officer
Posted April 15, 2024 11:00 am.
Last Updated April 15, 2024 11:07 am.
A 27-year-old man who was shot after stabbing and injuring a Toronto police officer in the city’s west end last week is facing multiple charges, including attempted murder, investigators confirmed on Monday.
The incident happened in the College Street and Lansdowne Avenue area in front of a Tim Hortons at around 1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 12.
Officers attended the scene following calls for a person in crisis. When police attempted to apprehend the man, an officer was allegedly stabbed. The man was tased and shot by responding officers during the altercation.
Ontario’s police watchdog, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), invoked its mandate to investigate the circumstances of the police-involved shooting.
On Monday, a Toronto police spokesperson confirmed with CityNews that 27-year-old Gabriel Escairo is facing several charges, including two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault with a weapon of a peace officer and aggravated assault of a peace officer, among other offences.
The injured officer and accused were both listed in stable condition.
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The Toronto Police Association (TPA) said the officer, who was stabbed in the leg, is a rookie in his 20s who has been on the job for less than a year.
Friday’s stabbing is the latest in a string of recent incidents where Toronto police officers have been injured on the job.
Mayor Olivia Chow wished the injured officer a quick recovery in a post on X and commented on the three incidents in which officers were recently injured. “Violence is never acceptable,” she wrote.
With files from Michael Talbot of CityNews
