Toronto police say officer seriously injured trying to stop retail robbery while off-duty | CBC News

An off-duty Toronto police officer suffered a serious wrist injury after he tried to intervene in a retail robbery in Scarborough on Wednesday, police say.

The officer, who is listed in stable condition, will need surgery, according to Insp. Chris McCann, spokesperson for the Toronto Police Service. Police are seeking three suspects in the assault of the officer and retail robbery, he said.

McCann said three people entered a retail store on Progress Avenue near McCowan Road and began to steal items around 11:45 a.m. The off-duty officer attempted to intervene outside the store and was stabbed in the wrist, he said, by one of the thieves.

Toronto paramedics responded quickly and applied a tourniquet to the officer’s wrist to stop the bleeding, McCann said. He was then taken to hospital.

According to police, the suspects fled the area in a grey Toronto Sienna minivan. They were last seen going north on Brimley Road and westbound on Highway 401.

The first suspect is described as as a male, six feet tall, with a medium build, wearing black pants and boots. The second suspect is described as a male, wearing a black mask, blue jeans and a black hoodie.

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The third suspect is described as a female with long dark hair, wearing grey cargo pants and a jacket made of camouflage material.

McCann said police are looking for the three suspects. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashboard camera footage is urged to come forward.