From my understanding the suspect was attempting a "Suicide by Cops" meaning he wanted the police to kill him. This would have been a prefect example of where a taser would have come in very useful. The ETF were called, however they did not arrive in time to deploy said taser. the SUI were called in, but turned the investigation back over to TPS as the suspect was not seriously injured. (to my knowledge a broken wrist and a face full of pepper spray)
IMO, the police would not loose their jobs over the manuver with the car, considering they only had one alternative. interestingly enough, and im sure related to this incident, TPS are now implementing Tasers being issued to Road Sgts. in i belive 19, 21, and 52 division as a test project.
if you want more on the story
www.cp24.com should still have some info on it, as well as the video.
POLICE USE CRUSIER IN TORONTO STANDOFF
http://www.pulse24.com/News/Top_Story/20050308-007/page.aspWielding two ominous butcher knives, a seemingly crazed man confronted a slew of Toronto police officers at the corner of Yonge and Wellesley early Tuesday morning.
â Å“Shoot me!â ? he taunted the officers, who surrounded him with guns drawn in a tense street standoff.
Death may have been his wish, but Toronto's finest blew out the candles on his hopes for extinction, diffusing a potentially fatal confrontation by pinning the man between a bicycle stand and a police cruiser.
When the car backed up, the suspect was unhinged from his momentary prison. But it wouldn't be long before he was in a more conventional form of custody.
Finally admitting defeat, he tossed both knives to the ground and police closed in, using pepper spray to further incapacitate their unstable nemesis.
The man, believed to be in his 30s, suffered a broken wrist in the ordeal and was ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation.
Stunned witnesses seemed to think police handled the situation appropriately.
â Å“I think that they were justified for sure,â ? said Magda Majewski. â Å“And I think that potentially they might have been justified in using more force, but I think they were clearly sort of concerned about him afterwards and taking care of him afterwards and washing out his eyes and, you know, getting him medical help.â ?
Witnesses say the man panhandles in the neighbourhood and may be homeless. But others contend that's not the case.
During the 15 minute ordeal, which began around 7am, some bystanders were apparently screaming at police to use a taser on the man, not knowing that only E.T.F. officers are currently allowed to carry the weapons.
The incident will surely spark more debate on the use of the stun guns in the police force, something former Chief Julian Fantino unsuccessfully fought for during his tenure.
In the meantime, former police officer Jim Downs believes the man at the centre of the frightening struggle is lucky to be alive.
â Å“Maybe another officer, not knowing what's going through his mind or her mind at that particular time, may have elected to use a firearm and been very justified to use that firearm. So he's a lucky man.
â Å“This is a classic example where a taser would have been appropriate tool for them, because really they only have two tools at their option. One really. They had their firearms, and the officer decided to use his car as a second tool.â ?
SUI CLOSE CASE ON TORONTO STANDOFF
http://www.pulse24.com/News/Top_Story/20050310-008/page.aspThe province's Special Investigations Unit has ended its probe into a confrontation between police and a knife-wielding man in the downtown core Tuesday.
The man sustained a hairline fracture to his wrist after being pinned between a police cruiser and a bicycle stand at Yonge and Wellesley Sts. as officers attempted to disarm and arrest him. He resisted two police attempts to collar him, at one point jumping up on the hood of a moving cop car.
The incident may have helped spark the Police Services Board decision Wednesday to arm cops with 100 Tasers for a three-month trial run.
Witnesses at the scene of the disturbance called out for cops to use the stun guns, unaware that only E.T.F. officers were permitted to carry them at the time. E.T.F. was called, but didn't arrive fast enough.
The S.I.U., which investigates police involvement in civilian injuries, says the man was not harmed seriously, and have terminated their involvement.
March 10, 2005
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anyways, hope that clears up some of the speculation.
