Guard shot multiple times during ‘ambush’ on Avenue Rd.

Watch above: Armoured car guard shot in Avenue Road “ambush.” Mark McAllister reports. 

TORONTO – An armoured car guard is in critical condition and three men have been arrested after a robbery attempt early Thursday morning in north Toronto.

Police say it’s the second time this month the same suspects have targeted these guards.

Police say three 18-year-old men are facing attempted murder charges after trying to rob the Garda World armoured truck near Lawrence Avenue and Avenue Road early Thursday morning.

Toronto Police Staff Inspector Mike Earl said the guard was “ambushed” by the three men when the truck stopped to service a TD bank.

“He was immediately fired upon with a handgun. He took four rounds to the body,” Earl said.

The injured guard returned fireand is in hospital recovering after undergoing surgery.

The entire shootout lasted less than a minute, Earl said. The number of shots fired was “in the double digits” and a nearby apartment building was hit by at least one bullet.

The second guard stayed in the truck as it went into lockdown. The suspects fled on foot.

The suspects were arrested in Lawrence Heights shortly after the incident.

The three men also face robbery-related charges as well as conspiracy charges in connection to a previous robbery attempt on June 5 near Bathurst Street and Lawrence Avenue.

“These individuals no doubt planned this and attempted this on an earlier date,” Earl said. “And today they tried and made a similar attempt which resulted in a shootout.”

With files from The Canadian Press