TORONTO - A homeless man described as odd but otherwise polite and well dressed was charged with first-degree murder Thursday in the death of a police officer killed by a stolen snowplow.

Richard Esber Kachkar, of no fixed address, was in hospital recovering from gunshot wounds sustained when he was arrested Wednesday about seven kilometres from where Sgt. Ryan Russell was left mortally wounded on the bloodstained snow.

Russell died of severe head injuries after he tried to stop the plow on a slushy city street and was struck.

"This has been an investigation which has been aided by the availability of video from Sgt. Russell's scout car," police Chief Bill Blair said in announcing the charge.

"The matter will now be placed before the courts."

Several civilian witnesses also stepped forward, and police were grateful, Blair said.

Kachkar, 44, who spent time in St. Catharines, Ont., also faces two counts of attempted murder.

Exactly what prompted the rampage remained a mystery Thursday.

In some of his Facebook pictures, Kachkar cuts a well-dressed and relaxed figure. In others, he is seen on a bicycle.

The photos were uploaded to the social networking site last summer and fall. Kachkar's last post to his Facebook page occurred Dec. 11.

One close relative refused to comment.

"We just don't want to get involved with this," she said.

Adrienne Urquhart, a spokeswoman for the Good Shepherd shelter close to where a barefoot man jumped into the snowplow and sped off, said a Richard Kachkar spent Tuesday night at the facility.

"According to our records, this is the first time this individual has actually stayed with us," Urquhart said.

He left early Wednesday without informing staff, she said, adding there was nothing otherwise unusual about his stay.

Kachkar had big plans for, but did little with, a small commercial property in St. Catharines, according to neighbouring businesses.

Andrew Dempsey, vice-president of Salaris LED a few doors down, said he found Kachkar a little "odd."

Kachkar came in to the store several times for a chit-chat, telling Dempsey that he was originally from B.C. and had two grown children.

"I couldn't put my finger on what it was -- just something I found off about him," Dempsey said.

A florist across the street said he saw Kachkar just last week sitting outside the property the accused is reported to have bought about five years ago.

"He would often sit out front watching traffic go by," said Casey Rietveld.

Kachkar was usually well dressed and rode a "fairly new looking" bicycle but didn't live in the building, Rietveld said.

Distant relatives of Kachkar's were unable to shed any light on the incident.

Anwar Kachkar said from Edmonton he hadn't seen his nephew in decades.

Another Edmonton-based relative said she believed the accused had lived in Vancouver for some time before moving to southwestern Ontario.

"He's a distant cousin but we haven't been in contact with him for about 12 to 15 years," the woman said.

The incident began when a suspect jumped into the plow early Wednesday in the city's downtown area and sped off, ramming numerous vehicles.

Russell, an 11-year member with the Toronto police service and the son of a retired officer, died in an attempt to end the wild chase through city streets.

In a statement Thursday, Russell's family thanked police and the public for their support.

"Every single member of Ryan's family is touched. The warm, heartfelt comments bring much comfort to our hearts."

The suspect was only apprehended about an hour later after crashing the plow and being shot by police.

The province's Special Investigations Unit, which was probing the situation because a civilian was injured, said it planned to canvass the area where Kachkar was shot.

"We'll have a team of investigators out there doing a door-to-door canvass to glean any new information or identify any witnesses," spokesman Frank Phillips said.

Police announced Thursday night that the funeral service for the 35-year-old officer, who left behind his wife Christine and two-year-old son Nolan, will take place next Tuesday afternoon at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Officers from across North America are expected to attend.

Visitation for Russell is set for Sunday and Monday at at the Jerret Funeral Home in Thornhill, Ont.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, in Toronto for an unrelated announcement, took a moment to express "heartfelt sorrow" over Russell's death.

"This is a terrible incident that does serve unfortunately to remind us all of the dangerous work that our law enforcement officers undertake on our behalf," Harper said Thursday.

Colleagues and friends described the officer as a dedicated and friendly family man.

Scores of people signed a book of condolence at police headquarters.

Russell's death marked the first for an on-duty Toronto police officer since 2002.