Man accused of stabbing Toronto police officer faces attempted murder charges

Investigators said a man accused of stabbing a Toronto police officer in the leg during an arrest at the end of last week faces two charges of attempted murder.

Around 1 p.m. Friday, Toronto police were called about a person in crisis in the area of College Street and Lansdowne Avenue.

During an attempt to arrest a man in the area, which is now subject to an investigation by Ontario’s police watchdog, an officer was stabbed in the leg and a police gun and Taser were used.

The officer was rushed to hospital from the scene after being stabbed in the leg with a knife, police said Friday. The officer who was stabbed shot his attacker, police said.

Both were reportedly in stable condition.

On Monday, Toronto police announced that 27-year-old Gabriel Escairo was facing several charges, including attempted murder and failing to comply with a release order.

A police spokesperson said the accused was charged with four counts of failing to comply with a release order, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault with a weapon of a peace officer, one count of aggravated assault of a peace officer and one count of weapons dangerous.

Police said all the charges related to the incident on Friday.

The Special Investigations Unit, the province’s civilian oversight police watchdog, has invoked its mandate to probe the events around the arrest, which included an officer using a gun.

Kristy Denette, SIU spokesperson, confirmed on Friday that the initial call was for a person in crisis.

She said a struggle between the man and two officers took place at the scene, with the man taking out a knife and stabbing one of the officers. Denette said one of the police officers shot the man.

She said the officer who was stabbed was the same officer who used his gun.

Before that happened, Denette said a conductive energy weapon, or a Taser, was used twice but was ineffective.

The injury to the Toronto police officer, who the union said is in his 20s and has had less than a year of frontline experience, followed several other recent police injuries, including an officer who was allegedly punched while walking down the street.

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