Police Chase in Niagara Falls, Ontario Ends Tragically

A police foot chase in Niagara Falls, Canada Tuesday ended with the death of the apparent suspect when both men plunged into the Niagara Gorge.

Witnesses reported a police officer was chasing a man around 5 a.m. last night about a mile north of the Falls, along River Road. The presumed suspect suddenly jumped over a retaining wall, with the officer in close pursuit. Both fell into the Gorge.

One constable said the two may have fallen as far as 100 feet, although he was not certain how far they really dropped. Emergency workers had to lower a stretcher to the two men. Both were reportedly alive when first reached, but suffering from serious injuries. The apparent suspect appeared to have died of his injuries before he could be lifted to the road.

The police officer, who suffered a broken leg in the fall, was airlifted to a hospital in Hamilton.

Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit, which looks into serious incidents involving police officers, will continue its probe today.