Police watchdog investigating fatal officer

Police watchdog investigating fatal officer-involved crash, shooting in Mississauga

Toronto police officers had been tracking a Mercedes in connection with a firearms investigation

Ontario's police watchdog is investigating the death of a 19-year-old man after an officer-involved crash and shooting in Mississauga early Thursday morning.

Earlier on Thursday, SIU spokesperson Monica Hudon had said officers located and tracked a Mercedes that had been reported stolen the day prior in Mississauga. After issuing the first news release, the SIU received updated information indicating the vehicle was not stolen, the police watchdog said.

Five unmarked Toronto police vehicles were involved in the incident, which resulted in three of them crashing into the Mercedes, Hudon said at a news conference at the scene.

Hudon said an officer then shot at least once into the vehicle and hit the driver, a 19-year-old man. He was later pronounced dead at the scene and police are in the process of notifying the family, she said.

In the newest release, the SIU said the Mercedes had four people inside it. The three passengers were taken into custody.

Hudon said there is no information yet on what led to the shooting and how many shots were fired, but that there was no indication of an exchange of gunfire. She said two other firearms were located in "the vicinity of the Mercedes."

The incident took place near Council Ring Road and The Collegeway, said Peel police in a post on social media platform X. Const. Laurie McCann said in an email that Peel police were at the scene after responding to a civilian's call about the shooting.

The SIU has dispatched four investigators, three forensic investigators and a collision reconstructionist to determine what exactly transpired leading up to the shooting and after, said Hudon.

She urged anyone with information to reach out to the SIU.

Injured Toronto police officer 'doing well': chief

Peel paramedics said two people were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and that they performed life-saving measures on the driver. Peel police said one of the injured was a Toronto police officer, who had minor injuries due to a collision.

The SIU confirmed one officer sustained minor injuries in its latest release.

Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw said at an unrelated news conference Thursday that the injured officer had received treatment and is "doing well."

Demkiw said that Toronto police "will go where their criminal investigations lead them" and that in this case officers had gone to Peel Region.

Ashley Visser with Toronto police confirmed officers were taking part in an investigation, but did not have details on what led up to the collision and shooting.

Demkiw said he would not comment on the use of force by officers, given that the SIU is investigating. But Demkiw said that Toronto police still have an active investigation tied to the arrests.

In a statement on X, the Toronto Police Association said officers use force in situations where they have to make "split-second decisions" while facing a threat.

"No police officer ever shows up to work intending to use force," said the association, adding that it will support members during the investigation.