A man was on his way to work early Tuesday morning, travelling on the eastbound lanes of Highway 401 in Mississauga, when he encountered a person walking on the busy freeway.
“You clearly see just a guy run from the left-hand side all the way to the right-hand side. And you think nothing of it until you see a gun pointed at you, and it’s fight or flight mode,” a man CP24 agreed to only identify as Mike on Wednesday afternoon.
His dash cam, which did not have audio, captured a man in a grey hoodie in the live lanes of traffic, approaching vehicles and appearing to point a gun at them.
“My first decision was duck down, put it into third gear, and get the hell out of there,” Mike said. However, an accident a few metres ahead prevented him from quickly fleeing.
“That’s where the fear comes in. (Will) he chase me or not?”
After passing the man, Mike recalled hearing a gunshot, which he said was when “the adrenaline starts pumping. And I did everything to get out of the way.”
He then called 911 to report the incident.
No one was seriously injured in the incident, which resulted in the lengthy closure of the Highway 401 eastbound collector lanes at Dixie Road and some Highway 410 and Highway 401 ramps.
Mike said hearing the gunshot made him realize the man armed with a gun “means business,” and he had to get out of there.
“It made me upset as soon as I got back to work. I mean, the gentleman stopped, and I was like, I can’t believe this happened,” Mike said.
“It seems like this is supposed to be the norm. I can’t believe that this is.”
POLICE ARREST SUSPECT IN TORONTO
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said the suspect, who they identified as 29-year-old Troy Ledrew, shot at several passing vehicles on the highway near Dixie Road at around 5 a.m. on Tuesday.
OPP said more than 10 drivers had reported their vehicles being hit by gunshots.
Ledrew also allegedly stole a vehicle from a motorist to flee the scene. It was later found abandoned on Fasken Drive in Etobicoke.
Hours after issuing an arrest warrant on Wednesday, Ledrew was apprehended in Toronto.
He allegedly committed multiple attempted carjackings and shootings in the city’s east end prior to his arrest.
“Much like yesterday, the suspect was seen pointing his firearm at multiple vehicles and shooting towards them,” Toronto police Duty Insp. Steve Campoli told reporters at the scene.
During one of the carjackings, a man was shot and critically injured, he said. The victim is in hospital with life-threatening injuries.
“This investigation has been complex and constantly evolving,” OPP Det. Insp. Sean Chatland said Wednesday night after Ledrew was arrested.
“We’re extremely grateful for our partners with the Toronto Police Service and their role in apprehending our accused.”
There is no word on what charges will be laid.