Mentally ill teen escapes hospital, runs over Indian-origin Canadian cop

An Indian-origin police officer in Canada, serving with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), was killed in the line of duty in the province of Ontario on Tuesday. The incident took place while officers were attempting to apprehend an 18-year-old who had allegedly escaped from a hospital where he was undergoing assessment under Canada's Mental Health Act, according to reports in Canadian news outlets.

Constable Tarun Bali, who was aged 29 and served with the OPP's Dufferin Detachment for two and a half years, was killed while assisting an investigation near Hearst, a remote community in northern Ontario. According to OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique, Bali was struck by a vehicle during the operation involving the escaped hospital patient.

The incident occurred at around 12.30 pm near Kendall Concession Road 7 and Concession Road 6, roughly 600 km north-west of the city of Sudbury. Bali had been deployed with the James Bay Detachment at the time of the operation.

Addressing reporters on Tuesday evening, Commissioner Carrique announced that an 18-year-old suspect had been arrested and charged with first-degree murder. The accused also faces two counts each of dangerous driving and flight from police. Authorities have not publicly identified the suspect as the investigation remains ongoing.

According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), when Bali was struck and killed, officers were attempting to locate and apprehend the suspect who had escaped from a hospital where he was being assessed under the Mental Health Act. Other OPP officers, assisted by a member of the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, later took the accused into custody.

"It's early yet, but the investigation is looking into the laying down on the road of a spike belt that was part of an attempt to stop a driver who is believed to have some mental health issues," sources within the OPP told the Canadian news outlet, Toronto Sun.

Bali had served with the OPP for just over two years and was widely respected among his colleagues. Commissioner Carrique described him as a dedicated officer who had dreamt of becoming a police officer since childhood.

"I can tell you that Provincial Constable Bali dreamed of being a police officer," Carrique said, according to CBC. The commissioner revealed that he had met with Bali's grieving family and was shown a photograph of a two-year-old Tarun saluting beside a picture of a police officer.

"It is with deep sorrow that I confirm that OPP Provincial Constable Tarun Bali was killed in the line of duty this afternoon in Hearst," Carrique wrote in a statement posted on social media. "His courage and commitment to serving others will never be forgotten."

The OPP Association described the death as "every police family's worst nightmare". Association president David Sabatini said Bali was "a very well-liked and respected member" of the force.

"This is another reminder of the dangers that our members face each and every day as they serve and protect the citizens of Ontario," Sabatini said in a statement. Speaking to CBC, he added that officers at the Dufferin Detachment were devastated by the loss of their colleague.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford also paid tribute to Bali, describing his death as a significant loss for the province. In a social media statement, Ford said he was "deeply saddened" by the officer's death and extended condolences to Bali's family, loved ones and fellow officers.

Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner echoed those sentiments, saying Bali's death underscored the extraordinary risks faced by police officers. "As we grieve this tragedy, we remember the extraordinary courage and sense of duty required of those who put on the uniform and serve our province each day," Kerzner said.

The OPP Criminal Investigation Branch is leading the investigation, working alongside the Office of the Chief Coroner and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service. Authorities said Bali's remains would be transported to Toronto under a police escort for examination, while the OPP said they are providing support to Bali's family as they navigate what the force described as a "profound loss".

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