A Durham police officer fired his gun at a man they believe was driving a stolen vehicle Wednesday afternoon, moments after the vehicle was seen hitting a number of parked vehicles as it sped down an Oshawa roadway.
A witness on the scene told CP24 minutes after the red Mustang turned onto another street, he heard four gunshots fired. When he ran to the area where he heard the shots fired, he saw a man on the ground being attended to by police and paramedics.
The man was allowed to stand before he was put on a stretcher and loaded into the back of an ambulance, the witness, Adrian Spiering, said.
Police confirmed shots were fired during an altercation with the driver of an alleged stolen car.
Investigators said in a news release Wednesday afternoon that they received a report about an erratic driver just after noon. Officers were able to catch up with the suspect at about 12:10 p.m.
Officers discharged their weapon after the suspect allegedly tried to hit a police car with his vehicle, according to Spiering. Police have yet to confirm this detail.
"The officer discharged his weapon and the male received a non-life threatening injury," said the news release. "He is a male in his 20s and was rushed to local hospital."
No officer was injured during the altercation.
The province's Special Investigations Unit has been called to the scene and is now handling the investigation, as is protocol each time a civilian is seriously injured or killed while in the presence of a police officer.
