Toronto police said a man is facing charges in connection to shootings at multiple vehicles along Highway 401 on Tuesday as well as several carjacking attempts and a shooting that seriously injured one person a day later.
Officers responded to carjacking reports near Dundas and River streets at 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday. Police said a man suffered a gunshot wound leaving him with serious injuries and was transported to hospital. The victim was at a red light and when the suspect opened the car door and shot at him, police said.
The suspect had also approached multiple other vehicles trying to open car doors, investigators said, adding he fired his gun and narrowly missed another driver. He also tried opening the doors of two other vehicles but was unsuccessful.
A fifth driver got out of the vehicle after the suspect pointed a handgun, police said. The suspect then drove away from the area and pulled into a parking lot nearby.
Police said the suspect then approached another driver in the lot and made demands for keys when officers arrived to the scene. The suspect fled from police but was arrested a short distance away.
Toronto police confirmed the man they arrested was the same suspect wanted by the Ontario Provincial Police for allegedly shooting at more than 10 cars travelling on Highway 401 near Renforth Road in Mississauga, just after 5 a.m. on Tuesday.
They said no serious injuries were reported in Tuesday’s shootings on the highway.
Provincial police had earlier obtained the arrest warrant for a 29-year-old Troy Dennis Ledrew, from Toronto, suspected in the highway shootings and warned that he was armed and dangerous.
Ledrew is facing multiple charges including two counts of attempted murder, six counts of robbery with a firearm, aggravated assault, failing to comply with probation, among several other firearm related charges.
On Dec. 10, OPP announced a number of additional charges in connection to the incidents on on Highway 401 in Mississauga.
Ledrew is also facing a number of other charges including four counts of attempt to commit murder using a restricted firearm as well as a number of robbery and firearm charges.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford spoke about the incidents at an unrelated press conference on Thursday.
“It’s ridiculous,” Ford said. “These JPs, these judges they have to start keeping people in jail … we need tough judges and tough JPs when it comes to crime. People are fed up with it.”
— With files from The Canadian Press