Boy, 12, charged with attempted murder of officer out of surgery, Toronto police lay more charges

A police cruiser is seen on the Leaside Bridge after an interaction with officers and a 12-year-old driver in Toronto. (Beatrice Vaisman/CP24)

A 12-year-old boy charged with the attempted murder of a Toronto officer has been transferred to a youth centre after undergoing surgery, the province’s police watchdog says, while charges have been against two more children, another 12-year-old boy and a 13-year-old boy, involved in the incident.

The child was taken into custody on Monday after police said an officer was struck by the driver of a stolen vehicle in East York.

According to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), officers received a call at around 1:30 a.m. about a vehicle that was stolen near a subway station in the city’s east end.

The SIU previously said that officers in two police cruisers located and attempted to box in the vehicle on the Leaside Bridge.

As the driver was fleeing the scene, the SIU said he hit an officer who was outside of his vehicle.

The officer, the SIU said, fired his weapon multiple times in an attempt to stop the vehicle. In addition to the driver, two other occupants, ages 12 and 13, were inside the stolen car.

It is unclear if the shots were fired at the vehicle before or after the officer was struck.

The SIU said the three children later abandoned the vehicle near Donlands and Floyd avenues and the 12-year-old driver was apprehended on foot about a block away.

The driver was taken to hospital with serious, non-life-threatening injuries. They cannot be identified under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The SIU could not confirm the nature of his injuries or whether he had been shot.

In addition to attempted murder, the 12-year-old driver was also charged with theft of a motor vehicle, possession of property over $5,000, dangerous operation, fail to stop for police, assaulting a peace officer and leaving the scene of an accident.

The officer who was hit was taken to hospital but was released hours later.

One other occupant of the stolen vehicle was taken into custody but the second was not located, the SIU said.

2 young occupants charged

In an update on Wednesday, Toronto police said the other two occupants of the vehicle had been identified and charged.

Both boys are facing a charge of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000. The 12-year-old occupant has also been charged with theft of a motor vehicle and dangerous operation of a conveyance.