Kitchener, Ontario — October 14, 2015 — A Kitchener man who allegedly opened fired on a police officer with a pellet gun is now in custody, thanks to the quick actions of a tow truck driver. CBC News reports an armed 29-year-old man was arrested during the evening rush-hour on October 13 when a nearby tow operator blocked the fleeing suspect’s vehicle with his tow truck. Waterloo Region Police had been pursuing the man—who was under a court order to not carry weapons—near Ottawa Street between Dundas Avenue and Nyberg Street, but failed to stop him. That’s when the tow truck driver decided to step in, swerving and ramming his truck into the side of the suspect’s black car. Barricaded, the man exited his vehicle, pointed his firearm and shot an officer in the face and hand. The officer fired back, hitting the suspect’s vehicle. Backup police arrived on the scene, apprehending the suspect without further incident. The victim, a veteran of the Waterloo force for almost three decades, was transported to hospital with minor injuries. Ottawa Street remained closed during the investigation. “The tow truck driver is not injured at all,” Staff Sgt. Brian Haffner told the Hamilton Spectator. The suspect faces a number of charges and is expected to appear in court today.
