A police stop on Toronto’s Leaside Bridge ended with gunfire, an injured officer, and a 12-year-old boy facing an attempted murder charge. The case has drawn attention across Canada because of the ages of those involved and the questions surrounding the use of force.
Investigators say the chain of events unfolded in the early hours of June 15, 2026, after officers responded to reports of a stolen vehicle in the city’s east end. By sunrise, the province’s police watchdog had launched an investigation into the shooting.
Three children were inside the vehicle. According to authorities, the driver was 12 years old, accompanied by another 12-year-old and a 13-year-old passenger.
The exact sequence of the confrontation remains under review. The Special Investigations Unit, known as the SIU, says it has yet to determine whether the officer fired before or after being struck by the fleeing vehicle.
Reports of a Stolen Vehicle Trigger a Police Response
The incident traces back to around 1:00 a.m. on June 15, when Toronto police received reports of a stolen vehicle in the area of Donlands Avenue and O’Connor Drive in East York. Officers located the vehicle and followed it toward the Leaside Bridge, the crossing linking the Leaside and Thorncliffe Park communities over the Don Valley.
According to the SIU, four officers in two police cruisers attempted to stop the vehicle by boxing it in on the bridge. Investigators say an officer stepped out of one of the cruisers during the encounter. It was then that the situation escalated.
As the driver attempted to escape, the vehicle allegedly struck the officer who was outside his cruiser. The impact sent the officer to hospital with injuries that police initially described as serious but not life-threatening. He was later treated and released.
Gunfire on the Leaside Bridge
After the officer was hit, multiple shots were fired at the suspect vehicle. The SIU confirmed that the officer discharged his firearm several times during the confrontation. However, investigators have not established whether those shots came before the officer was struck or afterward.
That distinction could prove significant as the watchdog agency reconstructs the encounter through witness interviews, forensic evidence, and video review. The suspect vehicle managed to leave the bridge despite the exchange.
Investigators say it traveled about a mile before being abandoned near Floyd Avenue and Donlands Avenue. The three occupants fled on foot through the neighborhood.
Children Flee the Scene as Arrests Follow
Police tracked down the 12-year-old driver near Mortimer Avenue, only a block from where the vehicle had been abandoned. He was transported to hospital with injuries described as serious but not life-threatening. Investigators have not determined the source of those injuries.
SIU spokesperson Kristy Denette said the injuries could have resulted from a bullet, shattered glass, or another aspect of the collision and subsequent events. One of the other occupants was also apprehended. As of the latest updates released by investigators, the third juvenile suspect remained outstanding.
Attempted Murder Charge and an Ongoing Investigation
Toronto police have charged the 12-year-old driver with attempted murder. He also faces charges including assaulting a peace officer, theft of a motor vehicle, possession of property over $5,000, dangerous operation of a vehicle, failing to stop for police, and leaving the scene of an accident.
Because of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, his identity cannot be released. Meanwhile, the SIU continues its investigation into the officer’s use of force and the circumstances surrounding the boy’s injuries.
The agency’s findings may determine whether further action follows. Until then, investigators are working to answer the question that still hangs over the case: exactly how the confrontation on Toronto’s Leaside Bridge unfolded during those minutes after 1 a.m.