Officer randomly attacked while sitting in cruiser, Ottawa police say

Ottawa Police headquarters on Elgin St. is seen in this undated photo. (CTV News Ottawa)

Ottawa police say a man is facing charges after an officer was "randomly assaulted" while sitting in their cruiser in Vanier.

Bystanders came to the aid of the officer and helped arrest the suspect during the incident early Thursday morning.

Ottawa police say the officer was parked in the area of Montreal Road and Lafontaine Avenue at approximately 12:45 a.m. when a man jumped into the cruiser through the passenger window.

The officer was able to exit the cruiser, but the struggle continued in the street, police said.

"The officer needed immediate assistance and called for backup, but before other officers arrived, two bystanders in the area came to help and the man was safely handcuffed," police said in a statement.

The suspect is facing several charges, including assaulting police.