Mississauga, Ont. — A plainclothes Peel Regional Police officer narrowly escaped death early Sunday when a suspect allegedly fired multiple shots at him near Pearson International Airport. The incident, which occurred around 3:29 a.m., could have resulted in another police funeral for the Greater Toronto Area, authorities said.
Isaiah Bachoo, 24, was arrested and faces serious charges, including weapons offenses and breaches of previous court conditions. Peel police plan to consult the Crown's office on Monday regarding charges related to the alleged shootings. The allegations have not been tested in court, and Bachoo is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Heroic intervention prevents tragedy
According to witnesses and police sources, the confrontation began when patrol officers noticed a man wearing a mask leaving the Million Dollar Restaurant on Torbram Road. Members of Peel's Strategic Tactical Enforcement Policing (STEP) unit responded. Witnesses reported that the man jumped fences in an attempt to flee. Const. Miguel Bona attempted to speak with him, but after no success, yelled “police.” A short foot chase ensued, and the suspect allegedly “turned and discharged multiple rounds in his direction,” a source said.
Const. Tyler Satino, a veteran officer, arrived in his squad car and struck the suspect with the vehicle, causing the firearm to fall from his hand. Sources said police did not return fire during the exchange. Bona then arrested the suspect. A fully loaded Glock 23 .40-caliber firearm was recovered. Witnesses reported hearing at least three gunshots.
Suspect known to police
Sources said Bachoo is known to police and was charged in a Sept. 6, 2021, shooting, but those charges were later withdrawn. The accused was not injured in the incident. In the interest of transparency, police intended to notify the Special Investigations Unit as a courtesy.
Peel police Deputy Chief Marc Andrews commented: “We are very fortunate that this situation did not end in tragedy. The past several weeks have been incredibly difficult for the policing community and incidents of this nature can have a lasting impact on those involved and those who witness them.”
A violent month for police in Ontario
This incident is the latest in a series of violent encounters involving police officers in Ontario. On June 11, Toronto Police Const. Marc Pinizzotto, 43, was fatally shot while serving a search warrant in North York. The alleged shooter, Nicholas Bennett, 19, was also shot by officers and faces a first-degree murder charge. Pinizzotto's funeral is set for Wednesday.
Last week, a Toronto police officer was pinned by a car on a concrete barrier on the Millwood Road bridge. The car was allegedly driven by a 12-year-old boy, who was charged with attempted murder. On June 9, OPP Const. Tarun Bali died after being struck by a car driven by a man who had allegedly escaped custody from a hospital in Hearst, Ont., where he was detained under the Mental Health Act.
Four police officers have been killed or nearly killed in June alone, raising concerns about officer safety across the province.
