2 officers released from hospital, man charged following knife attack in Etobicoke
Posted February 2, 2021 12:23 pm.
Last Updated February 2, 2021 11:01 pm.
Toronto police say a 33-year-old man has been charged, including with attempted murder and aggravated assault, after two officers were injured in a knife attack on Tuesday.
Officers were transported to hospital via emergency run and a man was taken into custody following an altercation and knife attack in Etobicoke.
Police say officers responded to a check address call around 11 a.m. at a residence on Westona Street, a rooming house with six apartments, near Royal York and Lawrence Avenue West.
Police Chief James Ramer says the officers were at the residence investigating reports of a missing person where a man allegedly emerged from a room inside the residence and attacked the two officers with a butcher knife.
The suspect was apprehended by use of a taser and was later arrested at the scene. Ramer says it’s not believed the man suffered any injuries as a result.
Ramer says one officer, a sergeant, suffered two severe slash wounds and is recovering in Toronto’s Sunnybrook Hospital in non-life-threatening condition.
The other officer, who Ramer says is new to the force, suffered minor injuries.
The two injured officers have since been released from hospital and are recovering at home.
Ramer says there was blood found in the missing person’s apartment and that investigation is ongoing.
In that case, officers say they’re searching for 56-year-old Nathaniel Brettell who was last seen on January 21 in the Westona Street and Dixon Road area.
Brettell is described as standing around 5-foot-8 with a thin build, receding grey hair, and a white beard.
33-year-old Ahmed Al Farkh is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
Anyone with information, in either case, is being asked to contact investigators.
