SASKATOON – A man is in custody after what could best be described as a scene out of a movie after a police cruiser was rammed and shots were fired at a stolen vehicle during evening rush hour in Saskatoon on Wednesday.
Police were alerted to a black truck driving erratically in the area of 19th Street and Avenue I around 4:40 p.m.
A responding officer spotted the truck in an alley but the driver refused to stop and led the officer on a chase, which was called off at 8th Street and Lorne Avenue due to safety concerns.
The driver then headed back towards the downtown area. Police deployed speed sticks at Idylwyld Drive and 20th Street, but the driver avoided them and headed down 20th Street. He eventually rammed a police cruiser at 20th and Avenue Q, disabling the cruiser.
The driver then continued on and was involved in three other collisions, injuring at least one person, before the driver turned around and headed back towards the disabled cruiser where an officer was standing on the sidewalk with a number of people.
The officer shouted at the people to move to safety as the truck head towards him. He then fired at least two shots at the truck.
The driver then fled the area and a police cruiser purposefully rammed the truck at 11th Street and Circle Drive.
The driver attempted to flee on foot but was tracked down after a short chase.
The 25-year-old suspect suffered what police believe were non-life threatening injuries which were not caused as a result of the shots being fired. His name has not been released.
No police officers were injured during what they are calling a “traumatic event.”
The suspect appeared before a justice of the peace Wednesday night. There is no word on when he will make his first court appearance.
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