It was the keen eye of an undercover cop that led to the arrest of 4 men accused in a brazen shooting in Regent Park.
It was about 30 degrees on Monday afternoon when Toronto Police say an officer assigned to investigate possible gun crime in the neighbourhood spotted 4 young guys riding in a vehicle, near Dundas and Parliament St.'s.
They were dressed in sweaters, with hoods pulled tightly over their faces so that only their sunglasses were showing.
The officer assumed the men in the vehicle were trying to disguise themselves and put out a radio call asking his police colleagues to watch for them.
It was nearby that the vehicle stopped and one of the men got out.
The allegation is that he pulled out a gun and started firing shots north up Parliament St., toward traffic and pedestrians.
Authorities say it isn't clear why the suspect opened fire but luckily, nobody was hurt.
The man jumped back in the vehicle and it took off, with cops tracking it to the nearby intersection of Sherbourne and Shuter St.'s.
Police cruisers surrounded the vehicle but while officers swooped in to make the arrests, the driver threw the vehicle into reverse and crashed into a patrol car, and a uniformed officer.
What followed was a frantic pursuit that allegedly saw the suspect vehicle speed away and drive into oncoming traffic, fly through red lights, and crash into two taxis, another police cruiser, and several garbage cans.
By the time the suspects reached the area of Dundas and Mutual St.'s, their vehicle was too badly damaged to keep going.
Police claim the men tried to run away but were captured by officers.
Two firearms were taken and the suspects' vehicle has been impounded.
Toronto Police have laid almost 100 charges against 20-year old Harlem Baldwin, 22-year old Sharrieff Muhammad, and 18-year old Kareemallah Muhammad -- all of Toronto -- along with 21-year old Shakiem Anderson of Mississauga.
The allegations include dangerous driving, breaking court orders, and numerous weapons offences.
All four men appeared in court earlier this week and will stay in custody until their next hearing goes in June.