“By sundown it was suddenly clear, and made perfect sense, why Toronto Police fired at least 14 bullets into a stolen car with a driver at the wheel.” Well that’s an interesting way to start an article about Canadian cops shooting a car in a crowded cityscape. But the man has a point. Well he did before torontosun.com decided to edit out the salient information. Here’s the bit included in the mobile news link that didn’t make it to the full website account . . .

Not just any driver but one, sources say, with more than 150 criminal convictions in the past including car thefts and assaults on police and many others.

Edward Michael Skotnicki, 60, has been banned for the rest of his life from driving and yet there he was alledgedly stealing a car and driving wildly in the heart of Toronto’s downtown Wednesday.

The last time Toronto Police dealt with this alleged car thief, in 2007, he was charged with dragging a police officer 25 metres as Skotnicki attempted to get away. The officer suffered injuries to the shoulder and neck area.

With the 2011 police chase death of Sgt. Ryan Russell still fresh in the minds of most officers, police weren’t taking any chances.

Yes, well, was Skotnicki stopped at the time of his car’s perforation? Anyway, both versions included what I believe to be the crucial question [as above]: “Perhaps somebody can explain how a person with so many convictions is on the loose?” Lock ’em up before it’s too late. I’m looking at you, U.S. border patrol and 300+ U.S. sanctuary cities.

[h/t JB]

30 COMMENTS

  1. was Skotnicki stopped at the time of his perforation?

    The cops shot the car, not the perp. Skotnicki was not injured. AFAIK, that’s the problem right there. I know that Canadians have a reputation for being polite, but sometimes they take it to an extreme.

  2. It’s like criminals ignore laws or something. Someone needs to show this to Bieber. Hopefully he’s not too stoned to read it.

  3. I’m starting to doubt the low crime statistics from some countries. More the UK than CA. I just can’t trust a country that prosecutes anyone who stops an attacker to accurately understand what crime is much less report it correctly. Even so, the UK seems to be using pre gun ban stats as a benchmark for public safety, which tells you something.

    • “UK seems to be using pre gun ban stats as a benchmark for public safety, which tells you something.”

      Bingo! You win one free Internet!

    • The fact that the British Home Office “cooks” their data is well known to anyone who attends an American Society of Criminology convention.

    • UK only counts as homicide those who have been convicted. An obviously murdered body with no arrests, or an acquittal, does not count as a homicide. I have read various figures for how much this decreases the stats, from 2 to 4 times. I have no idea what the real factor is.

    • The UK has a much higher crime rate than the US after you adjust the definitions to match. On the order of about 700 per 100k vs 500 per 100k in the US.

  4. Why bother arresting him again if, after already having done so ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY TIMES, he’s only going to be set loose for the ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIRST!

    I’m curious, after all that, why they even bother to keep track or even know his name? Much less shoot at his car, not him…

    Just when I think government and it’s pawns (police) can’t get any dumber…

    I’ve had my life threatened by, and shot at by, cops for things that aren’t even criminal… I have no record whatsoever, and I’ve had more trouble than this guy!

  5. I’m missing something? The police car in the foreground pulled forward blocking the car, if not, he could have pulled forward some more, and turned the wheels left to block him in.
    So, what the hell is the officer trying to accomplish by unloading his side arm in to a car that was obviously stolen, creating a couple thousand dollar repair bill at the least.
    Does he have a thing going on with the local repair shop so that he gets a cut of all repair work he sends them?? Seems a little reckless also, one of those rounds could have ricocheted into another officer, or bystander.

    • If you watch closely, another cop approaching on the opposite end of the car looks like he nearly soiled his pants when his co-worker started pumping rounds into the engine.

  6. Permanently banned from driving, and he drove that car? Why shame on that criminal! To think he actually got into a car and drove it after being banned from doing so! Didn’t that criminal know that was illegal? Maybe Canada should pass a law that says it is illegal for someone who has been banned from driving to open the door of a vehicle, or sit inside it! Yeah, that is it, just make that a crime, after all the car likely made him do it. If only that poor man hadn’t gotten in that evil auto!

    Coming to a Congressional debate from the Democrat side of the isle soon.

    note for the tone deaf…the above is sarcasm, well except for the snipe at Congressional Democrats.

  7. I mentioned before how criminals get let out of jail early, aren’t rehabilitatated, and go on to commit additional crimes. This seems to be an unusually good example.

    • I believe some criminals will only be rehabilitated by a dirt nap.

      A criminal with 150 previous convictions probably falls pretty neatly into that category.

      My $.02

  8. Huge proponent of the 3 strike policy, but wish it was more 1 or 2 strikes for some people.

    150 convictions, including many violent crimes? You NEVER need to see freedom ever again. Period.

      • They were thinking…maybe if we shoot enough times at the radiator we will get lucky and accidentally put this jerk away for good…

        Note violation of Rule 4 on his partner coming in from the left…

  9. Catch and release policy…
    How’s that working out, eh?

    Wait, I think I got it… He’s the ONLY criminal up there. The police have to have someone to chase!

  10. You guys are not seeing what I am seeing in the video.

    The police officer is unloading his sidearm on the Michelin Man. If you look close you will see how aggressive he is being with his tread

  11. Canada had closed it’s last ballistic lab in 2012 or so. Canadian police really don’t have that much training and aren’t quite sure how to handle unruly criminals. Even worse is Canadian police cover ups are so beyond obvious you have to wonder if Canadian police departments are that stupid or if Canadians really are that naive enough to believe them.

    Look up the g20 summit of 2010 and the black shirt protesters. Only some complete rube couldn’t tell that those “protesters” were cops in riot gear with tshirts tied around identifiable markings. I mean the cops even used their batons to destroy Toronto to put blame on Canadian citizens who came out to protest peacefully during the summit.

    Canadian cops are rotten all around. Don’t give them any pity.

  12. The same way they would be here, prosecutors are judged by the numbers of convictions not the “quality” of those convictions. 1000 no-time plea deals for “lower level” crimes (fines yay!) takes a few weeks in a big city, 1 hard fought conviction for say murder is hard work and costs money. Now the latter can make or break a career but if you already have the job…

    This guy assuming he pays the fines is a walking ATM and number fluffer for the criminal justice system. Can’t let prison get in the way of that.

  13. This is the reason my mom agreed with G W Bush that we should colonize Mars: we can send all such folks as this there. Let them be stupid on another planet, and die from it at a high rate, providing nutrients for the ones smart enough to get along and survive.

    Of course we need to practice with the moon first, and be sure to send along a very smart computer. 😉

  14. Does anybody know the LEGAL definition of “drive”? Google “the right to travel” or “traveling v driving”.
    No double standards put DC politicians on Obamacare and SS
    Thanks for your support and vote.Pass the word. mrpresident2016.com

Comments are closed.