Toronto airport security point closed after 'aggressive' man tasered

Stock photo, Pearson International Airport. Photo: PA

A security checkpoint at a Toronto airport was closed yesterday after an "aggressive" man was tasered and arrested.

Zhi Wei Chen attempted to get through security Gate E at Pearson International Airport on Monday without being screened or searched by staff, according to ctvtoronto.ca.

Airport employees then used a silent security alarm to call police to the scene. When they found the man in the common area outside security, they were met by a "confrontational, very aggressive male who assaulted one of the officers", said Peel Regional Police Constable, George Tudos.

A taser was deployed to calm the situation, and the suspect, along with two officers, was taken to Etobicoke General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Tudos explained that officers are trained annually on when to use force, adding: "When we do use any use-of-force weapon, it has to be justified by the actions of the person that they're interacting with."

Pearson officials confirmed that a Terminal 1 international security screening checkpoint closed shortly after 11 am due to a police investigation, and opened again at 4pm.


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