A TPS spokesperson told CTV News Toronto that Usman Kasim was arrested in Manchester in early October and remains in custody there.
Kassim, 39, has been identified as the prime suspect in a 2020 shooting in North York and a 2021 incident in which a woman held a gun to her head in a parking lot.
On April 1, 2020, police responded to reports of shots fired in the area of Leslie Street and Sheppard Avenue East.
Police say a man in a Gray Dodge Durango fired at a couple, narrowly missing them. The attacker immediately fled, according to the police.
More than a year later, on October 25, 2021, TPS responded to a 911 call made shortly after 3:30 a.m. in the same area of North York.
A man in a White Dodge Charger approached a woman in an underground parking lot while holding a handgun. Investigators allege he threatened her while holding a gun to her head.
As officers arrived on the scene, the man fled, crashing into a police car before fleeing.
Kasim was wanted by TPS on multiple charges including but not limited to two counts of attempted murder, unauthorized possession of a firearm and discharging a firearm with intent.
“We are in contact with the police in Manchester about this individual, but we cannot provide any further details of those discussions at this time,” Caroline de Kloet of the TPS said on Monday.
“Further information will be released once this individual is in Toronto Police custody.”
Kasim was recently listed as one of the 25 most wanted men in Canada by the BOLO program. A $50,000 reward was offered to anyone who could provide information leading to Kasim’s arrest.
