Man allegedly crashes stolen taxi and barricades himself inside Toronto home, SIU called in

Toronto police say a man stole a taxi-cab on Tuesday night, crashed it, and then barricaded himself inside an east-end home.

Police said the cab was stolen in the Roblin Avenue and Plain Roads area around 10 p.m. when the man hit another vehicle a few blocks away in the Pape Avenue and O’Connor Drive area.

Investigators said the man then entered a home on Torrens Avenue and threatened a resident inside who managed to flee with no injuries.

Police said the man then barricaded himself inside of a bedroom.

Officers attempted to negotiate with the man. A short time later, the Emergency Task Force arrived and forced their way into the room and found the man with injuries.

The man was then transported to hospital and remains in the intensive care unit, said the SIU in a release that states they have invoked their mandate.

The SIU, known as Ontario’s police watchdog, is an independent enforcement agency that investigates incidents involving police that have resulted in death, serious injury or alleged sexual assault.

Toronto Fire told Global News they received a call claiming a man was inside a house “to be starting a fire.” Fire officials said a person had barricaded themselves inside a room.

The fire was knocked down quickly and shut the gas off from the house, said fire officials.