Man charged after allegedly attempting to carjack a police officer in Whitby

A 32-year-old man is facing a long list of charges after he allegedly attempted to carjack a police officer in Whitby on Wednesday.

It happened in a parking lot on Victoria Street East near Thickson Road at around 4:35 p.m.

Police say that the officer was sitting in her marked police cruiser when a male suspect approached and tried to remove her from the vehicle.

Police allege that the suspect also attempted to obtain the officer’s firearm but was unsuccessful and subsequently fled the scene in his own vehicle.

The Durham police helicopter and members of the K9 unit were dispatched to the scene and were ultimately able to locate the suspect near Highway 401 and Stevenson Road.

“Officers were able to pin in the vehicle and take the male into custody without incident,” police said in a press release.

Daniel Patrick Junior McKnight, of Ajax, is charged with seven offences, including assaulting a peace officer and attempting to disarm a peace officer.

Police are appealing to anyone with further information about the incident to contact investigators.