Toronto police officer charged in Distillery District shooting

A Toronto police officer who fired multiple bullets into a stopped car during an arrest in the Distillery District last September has been charged under the Police Services Act.

Toronto police wouldn't confirm the exact charge or charges the officer is facing.

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Const. Tash Baiati, who served in Afghanistan as a reserve member of the Canadian Forces, remained on duty after the incident on Sept. 16, when he and several other officers staged a takedown of a car and driver at around 1 p.m. near a public park around Parliament and Mill Streets. 

Following a brief pursuit, the car was boxed in when Baiati shot 15 rounds from his service pistol into the vehicle's engine. The driver of the car was not hit.

Toronto police launched an internal investigation in the wake of the incident.

Dozens of witnesses saw the dramatic arrest, including some who captured it on video. Many said they were shocked by the gunfire, especially in such a busy neighbourhood.

Mayor John Tory expressed concerns about the "very public" nature of the shooting but said he would hold his opinions about what happened pending the result of the internal investigation.

The suspect who was arrested was charged with multiple offences after the arrest. Investigators said the man was known to police and had 173 previous convictions related to vehicles. He had been banned from driving nine times, police said. 

Toronto Police Association President Mike McCormack said he believed the shooting posed "no threat to the public" after the incident. 

Officer had served in Afghanistan

CBC News learned earlier this month that Baiati was a reservist in the Queen's Own Rifles, and he spent time in Afghanistan with the Canadian Forces in 2003 and 2004.

The Department of National Defence says Baiati was still a reservist as of December 2015. It's believed he joined the Toronto Police Service sometime after 2009.

Repeated attempts by CBC News to reach Baiati have been unsuccessful.