A 22-year-old man has been charged after a York Regional Police officer was found with serious injuries in a mall parking lot on March 27 in Richmond Hill.

York Regional Police Services received a call from an officer requiring assistance at 3:40 p.m., in the parking lot of Hillcrest Mall, at 9350 Yonge St.

Responding officers found a constable suffering from serious but not life-threatening injuries. He was rushed to hospital where he is still being treated for his injuries.

The officers found the suspect on the scene, uninjured, and arrested him.

Police say that the officer, a four-year member of York Regional Police, was sitting in his parked cruiser when he was approached by the suspect who allegedly began to assault him. The altercation continued outside of the cruiser where it is alleged the suspect took the officer’s baton and beat him with it.

Chidubem Anthony Okeke, 22, of no fixed address, has been charged with attempted murder and failure to comply with recognizance.

Okeke was to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Newmarket on March 28.

Investigators are seeking any video surveillance or dash cam that may have captured the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact YRP District 2 Criminal Investigations Bureau at 1-866-876-5423.

Raneem Alozzi is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @r_alozzi

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