LONDON, ONT. -- London police confirm that officers responded to reports of a suspect who was actively damaging property in the core.
Police say they approached the man, who presented an object that looked like a pipe, and refused to follow police orders.
As a result, police say they used a Conducted Energy Weapon (CEW) to arrest the suspect on scene.
Several witnesses tell CTV News the man smashed two restaurant windows in downtown London before being tased by police and smashing through a third window.
It all began around 6:30 p.m. according to David Roth, a restaurateur working to renovate the former “Only on King” restaurant into “Frank and Furter’s.”
Roth, and several other witnesses say a restaurant on Richmond between King and York streets had a window smashed. Moments later, Roth’s business was hit, while several people were inside renovating.
He says glass flew throughout the establishment after a man carrying “a rusted metal pipe” smashed the front of his store.
Roth and another man followed the suspect, at a distance, east on King Street, then north on Clarence and finally east again on Dundas towards Wellington.
It was there they saw police catch up with the man, in front of Rebel Remedy on the north side of Dundas.
Roth says police acted quickly, “The first officer pepper sprayed the subject. He didn’t really respond to that, and the second issued a taser and he immediately went backwards into the plate glass window."
Roth says the man was bloodied, while two owners inside Rebel Remedy stated the man received numerous cuts from the glass.
All say he received medical attention at the scene.
Police say this is an ongoing investigation.
