Three people have been charged after an officer was injured trying to stop an attempted robbery in Milton, Ont. on Thursday.
According to investigators, a male suspect wearing a mask and gloves tried to enter an All Eyes Optical store on Derry Road around 11 a.m., but the doors were locked. The suspect left in a vehicle with two other people and the store employees contacted police.
About 40 minutes later the same vehicle returned and a different male tried to enter the store. The store was still locked and police were called again.
Officers arrived to find the suspects in a parked vehicle. Investigators say when the officer approached the vehicle, the driver accelerated and drove into the police cruiser before fleeing at a high rate of speed.
The officer was pinned between the cruiser and its open door during the collision, suffering minor physical injuries to their leg.
A tire deflation device was deployed, investigators say, but the suspects continued to evade police.
Eventually, the driver lost control of the vehicle near James Snow Parkway. Video released by police shows the car nearly driving into incoming traffic before coming to a stop on the side of the road. The suspects then get out of the vehicle and run away on foot into a nearby residential neighbourhood.
Shortly later, three suspects were found in a backyard and were taken into custody.
Officers said they recovered a loaded Glock handgun and a Glock air pistol in the backyard with the assistance of a K9 unit.
The vehicle being used by the suspects had also been reported stolen.
The 19-year-old suspects—identified Nathen Kelly, Jayden McLean and Bobby Osagie—are each facing multiple firearm and robbery related charges in connection with the incident.
The accused have been held pending a bail hearing.
The charges have not been proven in court.
