A moment of mourning was held to mark the loss two year ago of Toronto Police Constable Andrew Hong, of Traffic Services.

Police Chief Myron Demkiw said Constable Hong was 48 years old and served our city for 22 years.

He was in Mississauga participating in a joint training exercise with officers from Peel Regional Police and York Regional Police when he was shot at close range, targeted by a lone gunman on a shooting rampage that killed two other men and injured several others.

His memory was remembered at a Police Services Board meeting on September 12.

“I want to offer my support to his wife, his two children and all his friends and co-workers who miss him every day,” the Chief said. “This was a devastating loss for the Toronto Police family and our entire policing community.”

He said the force is ‘very concerned that we are seeing a rise in officers injured in the line of duty.’

“Whether it’s carjackers ramming police cruisers, motorcyclists running officers over, or officers injured while trying to make an arrest,” Demkiw said. “In 2024 we have seen our officers suffer a significant number of injuries, some of which have been very serious and will require lengthy recoveries.”

He said two nights ago two officers were injured by demonstrators who resisted arrest at a downtown protest.

And previously an officer was struck by the motorcyclist near the Rogers Centre. The motorcyclist fled the scene, leaving the officer suffering with a very serious leg injury.

They are among the 555 officers injured while performing their duties. The injuries highlight the inherent risks of the job.

“We are also seeing a 10-year high in the numbers of assault peace officer offenses, with 245 charges laid year to date for assaults on our members. All of our members should be commended for their bravery and commitment.”

A remarkable example of this occurred when an officer attempted to stop a motorcyclist driving dangerously near the Rogers Centre in late August.