WATCH ABOVE: The TTC and the Special Investigations Unit are investigating an incident in which police fatally shot a man shortly after he robbed a TTC station.
A TTC subway station was robbed and shortly after a 33 year old man was killed in a police-involved shooting.
Around midnight Wednesday, Toronto Police received a 911 call after a TTC collector pressed an emergency alarm to alert authorities about a robbery in progress at a collector booth at Warden Station.
“I was appalled to hear another one of my staff had been held up in this manner,” said TTC CEO Andy Byford.
“No one comes to work to be faced with a gun being waved in front of them,” he continued.
Police located the man half a kilometre away in a public housing complex at 682 Warden Avenue.
According to the police watchdog the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), which investigates whenever there are shootings involving officers, “there was an interaction between the officers and the man. A firearm was discharged and the man was struck at least once.”
The 33 year old died on the scene.
The incident has ignited criticism from the transit workers’ union against the TTC.
“When they don’t have the money to put vehicles on the road and passengers are being left on the curb, I’m not sure where public safety and employee safety is going to be on the list of priorities,” Sforza continued.
The TTC insists safety is a top priority but explains that crime is sometimes unavoidable.
“At the end of the day, the TTC is not immune to what goes on in society,” said Byford.
“We have taken additional measures since the incident back in 2012,” he continued but would not elaborate citing safety concerns.
In February 2012, a TTC collector survived being shot in the neck during an attempted robbery at Dupont station. The following year, there were three armed robberies within a few months of each other at Chester station.
Byford noted the TTC’s forty enforcement officers will soon be given more powers.
“As Special Constables, they can enforce the bylaws and make arrests having to wait for the Toronto Police Service,” Byford said.
Transit authorities were stripped of their constable status in 2011 after allegations that they were mishandling their authority.
Byford added that with the full implementation of the Presto electronic ticketing system by the end of 2015, he believes crime will be reduced because the ticket booths will be holding far less money.
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