Toronto man accused of killing police dog charged in fatal shooting of 24-year-old

Toronto police say they have charged a 44-year-old man who allegedly killed a police dog after fleeing arrest in connection to a fatal shooting.

Police say the suspect faces a charge of second-degree murder in connection to the shooting of a 24-year-old Toronto man.

Officers responded to reports of a shooting around 7:15 p.m. Monday in the area of the Queensway and Kipling Avenue.

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The victim was identified by police as Sophonias Haile.

Ontario’s police watchdog says that when police later found a suspect at an apartment building, he fled and shot at police before he was tracked to a nearby backyard.

The Special Investigations Unit says the man shot and killed a police service dog and an officer shot the 44-year-old man, who was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2023. 

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