It was like a scene from an action movie Wednesday when police pinned down a stolen car and riddled it with bullets in Toronto’s Distillery District.
Toronto police got a call on Sept. 16 afternoon about a stolen silver Toyota Corolla near Bond and Shuter streets. Police located the car and chased the car through Dundas and Parliament streets. The chase abruptly ended at Parliament and Mill streets.
The police boxed in the stolen vehicle, while one officer fired more than a dozen shots into the car’s engine block.
Fil Caroro, a witness who works at a car wash, in the area recalls what happened.
“There were four or five police cars that trapped the car,” Caroro told reporters. “They took the guy out from the car and pinned him down.”
Caroro said he and his coworkers were afraid of the multiple gunshots.
Officers started to use their weapons after Skotnicki allegedly tried to run one of them over.
“The guy was trying to get out of the blockage, which is why the police officer fired at the engine,” Caroro said.
No injuries were reported.
Skotnicki, appeared in court on Sept. 17 and is facing five charges, including dangerous driving and theft over $5,000.
This is not his first offence. In 2007, he was involved in another car chase and faced 13 charges.
Skotnicki is scheduled to make another court appearance via video link on Sept. 24.
A video of the incident was posted by Instagram user @dorlyjeanlouis.