Saskatoon car chase with shots fired ends with arrest

A 35-year-old man who led police on a wild car chase Saturday afternoon is due in court this morning facing 28 charges.

It unfolded over 30 minutes, covered both sides of the river and featured a stolen car, methamphetamine and a shots fired by police during the chase.

Audience member JoeWeierssent the following raw video to CBC Saskatchewan:

RAW - Shots fired during police chase in Saskatoon

10 years ago

Duration 0:54

CBC audience member Joe Weiers sent the following raw video to CBC News. Saskatoon police say a man is in custody after a car chase in which the suspect was firing a gun at officers, and officers returned fire.

• On mobile? Click here to see the raw video.

"Unfortunately [he is] well known to our police service,"said police Chief CliveWeighillof the suspect. "Over 20 contacts with police since May 2014."

The dramatic chasebegan when an officer attempted to stop avehicle in a routine traffic stop near8thStreet and Goodwin Avenue.The male driver and lone occupant of the car refused to stop and began driving erratically, according to police.

The officerimmediately stopped the pursuitand notifiedother officers in the area.The carwas then spotted by police on the city's east side, but police said they alsodid not pursue itand informedother officersof the vehicles route. They believe the vehicle was not registered.

Weighillsaid the car was then seen speeding north onIdylwyld Drive by a canine unit.

There were several people in the store who said as the car drove past that they heard several gunshots and saw the man holding his arm out the window, pointing a gun into the air and around at different things, at people.-ThomasDehod, witness

"We thought the vehicle was going to leave the city," Weighillsaid. "The vehicle did turn around and came toward another canine vehicle. That was the first time we knew he had a firearm. He allegedly pointed his handgun at our canine officer at which point our canine vehicle did take pursuit of the vehicle."

Weighill explained that police tried to use stop sticks to debilitate the vehicle, which did not work initially. He said they believe the suspect fired shots while driving near Idylwyld Drive and 25th Street.

Police noted that the man was seen driving in the oppositelanes on 33rdStreet.

"I know there were several shots, I would say around six or so in that area but I don't know how many were fired by each person yet," Weighhill said as he explained that the investigation is in its preliminary stages.

It's not yet clear whether the replica firearm used by the suspect is capable of firing any sort of projectile, or how many shots were fired by police.

When asked, police spokesperson Alyson Edwards said "we have reports from officers that indicate the weapon may have been fired."

The suspect vehicle was stopped after two police vehiclesrammed into itat the intersection of22ndStreet and 2ndAvenue.

Suspect wasn't 'hunting' police

"Obviously it was an attack on a police officer, because he was firing shots at that police officer. But I don't believe that probably,had we not tried to pull the vehicleover, that there would have been an incident or confrontation with him," Weighillexplained.

"I don't believe he was hunting a police officer or anything like that."

Weighill said the man will likely appear in court on Monday in Saskatoon, facing several gun-related charges.

"It is a very rare occurrence in Saskatoon.Very, very rare. I do have to say the climate in Saskatoon has changed with a lot of the drugsmethamphetamineseems to be a big driver here in Saskatoon that is causing the police service here all kinds of issues," Weighillsaid.

No one was injured in the incident.

Traffic restrictions are in place at four locations, 22ndStreet and 2ndAvenue, 25thStreet and Idylwyld Drive, 22ndStreet and Idylwyld Drive, and 20thStreet and Avenue R.

Witness describes scene

TaraKeshanewas driving down20thStreet when she said she saw a red car fly by her.

"Then about 30 cop cars came,"Keshanesaid.

Thomas Dehod was shopping at a store on 2nd Avenue at the time when the red car sped past the store.

"I head a whole bunch of people yell and the guy who was helping me ran to the front of the store," Dehod said. "I went out to the front just in time to see the tail end of the vehicle go by and moments later heard a loud crash."

Dehod said moments later a police cruiser collided with the red car in the intersection of 2nd Avenue and22nd Street.

"People were scared, most people were ducking down," Dehod explained. "By the time I got outside, which was about five minutes later, I believe the suspect was still on the ground. There was a large crowdof police officers gathered around what I assume was the suspect and an ambulance had just pulled up. I spoke with one person there on the corner who said police had actually fired a few shots, but I couldn't confirm that.

"There were several people in the store who said as the car drove past that they heard several gunshots and saw the man holding his arm out the window, pointing a gun into the air and around at different things, at people," Dehod said.