Police looking for man who fled after Leaside crash

Suspect wanted for 12 offences, including possession of a loaded regulated firearm

Police are looking for a 22-year-old man who is considered armed and dangerous after they attempted to make an arrest Sept. 21 in Leaside.

At around 12:40 p.m., Toronto police stopped a vehicle and tweeted that one of the occupants of the car may have had a gun. The vehicle fled and police followed it. A minor collision occurred when the vehicle struck a streetlight near the intersection of Eglinton Avenue East and Rumsey Road, according to a media release from the Special Investigations Unit (SIU).

A 60-year-old female passenger of the vehicle was taken to hospital, another passenger was arrested at the scene and the driver of the vehicle fled, the release said.

Police are searching for Kyle Rouse, 22, who they said is wanted for the following 12 offences including possession of a loaded regulated firearm, possession of a firearm obtained by crime and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

Rouse has been described as six feet tall and 150 pounds with a shaved head. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and grey pants.

“The SIU is investigating the actions of police in relation to the injury sustained by the 60-year-old woman,” said Monica Hudon, a communications co-ordinator with SIU.

After the driver fled the scene, a neighbourhood manhunt ensued, with police closing roads along Eglinton from Hanna Road to Sutherland Drive and Rumsey Road.

Although the incident appeared to be dramatic, some residents were not shaken by the events.

“No matter where you, are crime is going to happen,” said Matthew Sheepwash, 28, who lives in Leaside.

Sheepwash and his friend Ben Anderson, 25, were at a neighbourhood bar when they heard the news.

“I got a phone call from my mom, who lives in Barrie. She asked if we had heard and we were at the Leaside Pub and I was at work all day so I hadn’t heard anything,” Sheepwash said.

Two investigators and two forensic investigators have been assigned to the incident.
The SIU is urging anyone who may have information about the investigation to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529. The unit is also urging anyone who may have any video evidence related to this incident to upload that video through the SIU website.

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Posted: Sep 29 2017 9:38 am
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