Toronto Police have arrested a suspect wanted in connection with the stabbing of an off-duty police officer earlier this month, but not before the suspect managed to abduct an individual and flee in a stolen U-Haul truck during his dramatic escape run.

On Wednesday at approximately 2 p.m., the Toronto Police Service (TPS) notified the public that Carlton Street was closed from Church Street to Mutual Street due to a person with a gun in the area. 

Officers with the Emergency Task Force (ETF), which is the tactical unit of the TPS, managed to arrest the 49-year-old suspect after crashing into the stolen truck. 

Speaking to reporters, Toronto Police Duty Inspector Maher Abdel-Malik said that the suspect was first tracked down in the area of Danforth and Warden Avenues on Wednesday morning. 

@darrenjames65 #fyp #toronto #cops #accident ♬ Oh No - Kreepa

According to Abdel-Malik, officers tried to arrest the suspect, but after an altercation ensued, the suspect managed to abduct an individual at gunpoint before fleeing in the stolen U-Haul. 

"At that point the officers did not engage with the male and followed at a safe distance while we requested the help of York Regional Police and they provided their helicopter," Abdel-Malik said. 

Although the abducted citizen managed to escape injured, some officers did suffer minor injuries. During his escape run, the suspect was involved in several crashes as he drove throughout Toronto and Durham Region, including a dramatic incident near Adelaide and Spadina, which involved a Beck taxi and ETF vehicle. 

CITY STREETS

Carlton Street between Church and Jarvis is closed for a police investigation. pic.twitter.com/2djrLbAS76

— CityNews Toronto Traffic & Weather (@citynews680) December 20, 2023

Investigators say the suspect was one of four who were wanted in connection with the stabbing of an off-duty police officer who attempted to stop a robbery at a Best Buy store in Scarborough on Dec. 6.

According to police, the four suspects attempted to walk out of the electronics store without paying for a TV, which resulted in the off-duty officer getting involved. While trying to prevent the suspects from fleeing, the officer was stabbed and sustained injuries to the wrist. 

Chaos on Carlton after high speed police chase with a U-HAUL pic.twitter.com/OfoOGBCGqb

— MBHTV (@_mbhtv) December 20, 2023

After tracking down the suspect on Wednesday, police vehicles successfully managed to box in the stolen truck along Carlton Street.

"We are very fortunate with how this incident ended," Abdel-Malik said. "There were no members of the public that were injured, there were some minor injuries to some officers but overall it was a good conclusion to this event."