Peel police have charged five suspects, including one youth, with several firearm-related offences after finding the group in an allegedly stolen vehicle.
On Wednesday, just after 6 p.m., Peel police said they were called down to the area of Highway 50 and Cottrelle Boulevard in Brampton, Ont. for reports of a suspicious vehicle.
During their investigation, police said they found the vehicle had been reported stolen, and when they approached it, the suspects allegedly took off, hitting several police vehicles in the process.
Officers were able to recover the vehicle and arrest five suspects, who are between 17 to 19 years old. They also discovered and seized a loaded 9 mm handgun with 17 rounds of ammunition.
Pablo Banton, 19, Josiah Lowe, 19, Matthew Swaby, 19, Mubarek Ibrahim, 18, and an unidentified 17-year-old are now facing a multitude of charges including, but not limited to, possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm, possession of an unauthorized firearm, and possession of property obtained by crime.
The charges have not been proven in court.
Police said Banton is currently on a release order stemming from unrelated firearm offences that are currently before the courts, and Lowe is on firearms prohibition order following a previous robbery conviction.
Lowe is currently on two separate release orders stemming from robbery allegations that are currently before the courts, police say.
All five suspects were held for a bail hearing in Brampton.
Anyone with information in relation to this investigation is asked to contact 21 Division Criminal Investigation Bureau at 906-453-2121, ext. 2133, or anonymously through Crime stoppers ta 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
