New video has surfaced showing the search for a suspect wanted for second-degree murder in a backyard in Etobicoke moments before he allegedly killed a Toronto police dog on Tuesday night.
The short video obtained by CTV News Toronto shows three officers and a police dog arriving in a backyard. They begin to search the vicinity, with the canine sniffing the area near a dog house.
It is unclear whether the dog in the video is the same one that had died during an interaction with the suspect, who was shot by an officer while attempting to flee arrest.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU), the province’s police watchdog, has invoked its mandate and is leading the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the officer-involved shooting.
A spokesperson for the SIU told reporters Wednesday that police attended an apartment building in the area of Dixon Road and Kipling Avenue at around 8 p.m. to locate and arrest a suspect for second-degree murder.
“That individual, according to preliminary information, shot at officers. Officers did not shoot back and then he (the suspect) fled, jumping into some backyards,” SIU spokesperson Kristy Denette said Wednesday.
She said the suspect, a 44-year-old man, was later located in the backyard of a home on Kingsview Boulevard.
“A police service dog was deployed and the man shot and killed the police service dog,” Denette said.
“We are not certain what order it may have happened because interviews are still happening over the coming days, but an officer shot and injured the man. He was taken to hospital where he remains at this time.”
The SIU is called in to investigate any time there is an interaction with police that results in death, serious injury, or allegations of sexual assault.
“The next steps now for the SIU are to interview the officers involved and be able to paint a better picture of what occurred,” Denette said, adding that one subject officer has been designated.
Police have not released the name of the suspect but at an unrelated news conference on Wednesday morning, Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw confirmed that the man is linked to the deadly shooting on the Queensway on Monday night.
"The suspect is in custody and has been advised of pending charges of second-degree murder," Demkiw said.
In a post on social media on Tuesday, Demkiw offered his condolences to the partner of the dog killed in the incident.
“Bingo, one of our K9s, was killed in the line of duty by gunfire tonight. Thank you for keeping our members safe and thank you for your service. My deepest condolences to his partner and to all of our @TPSK9,” the post read.
Demkiw told reporters Wednesday that Bingo, a two-year-old German Shepherd, and his handler, Sgt. Smith, had been on duty together for about six months after completing "a very extensive training program."
"I think it is important to acknowledge there is a unique bond between a police dog handler and their dog," Demkiw said.
"They work together for many, many weeks in their training and they are bonded from an early age with that dog, they live with those dogs and they become part of their immediate family."
He said the K9 unit plays an "incredibly important" role in community safety and wellbeing.
"They provide an additional resource to our officers to help keep communities safe, whether it is tracking a suspect, apprehending a suspect, locating evidence – sometimes that evidence is incredibly dangerous," Demkiw said.
"Bingo had successfully made a number of apprehensions, helping to keep our community safe."
Flags outside police headquarters and their other facilities across the city were lowered in honour of the dog.
Police later announced that they will hold a procession for Bingo on Thursday morning. It will begin at the Emergency Veterinary Clinic at 920 Yonge Street at 7:30 a.m.
Members of the Police Dog Services, the Emergency Task Force and the Motor Squad will participate in the procession.
The procession will end at Guelph University for end of life veterinary services.
Yonge Street will be closed from Davenport Road to Belmont Street between 6:45 a.m. and 8 a.m. for the procession.
