Dramatic images of the tense standoff between officers and the van rampage suspect being seen by a worldwide audience are earning Toronto police kudos for their restraint and professionalism.

The bystander footage shows a man standing near a white van stopped on a sidewalk, with his outstretched arm pointing a dark object at an officer out in the street. A man’s voice can be heard telling the officer to “kill me” and “shoot me in the head.”

“I have a gun in my pocket,” he yells, and is ordered to “get down or you’ll be shot.”

An officer is captured arresting the suspect, near Yonge St. and Sheppard Ave. No shots were fired.

“Grateful for the brave and professional response of Toronto police and other first responders to the horrific attack at Yonge and Finch,” Canada’s Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale tweeted.

“Commend the officer on his restraint and professionalism,” tweeted Toronto defence lawyer William Jaksa.

Ari Goldkind, another defence lawyer, tweeted that “based on what was known at the time of the arrest, Toronto police used what appears to be remarkable restraint in not firing at the suspect when the suspect pointed a weapon at them.”

“Cop deserves a medal,” Toronto communications guru and broadcaster Bob Reid wrote in another tweet, praising an officer for keeping his cool.

Mike McCormack, president of the Toronto Police Association, credited the officer, whom he called “a great guy.” with preventing further carnage.

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“He’s shaken up by the whole thing, and shaken up by the magnitude. He said, ‘you know, I was just doing my job,’” McCormack said. “He’s been confronted by someone who is making like he has a weapon, threatening the officer’s life, trying to get the officer to shoot him, and he arrests that guy.”

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Monday’s tragedy, that saw 10 people killed and 15 injured, comes at a time when police forces around North America, including Toronto, have come under fire for shooting mentally ill and unarmed suspects.

Various coroner inquests and expert reports have recommended new de-escalation training when officers approach someone who is clearly in a mental health crisis.

In July, 2013, teenager Sammy Yatim was shot after ignoring police commands to drop a small knife as he stood alone in an empty Toronto streetcar, less than 50 seconds after police arrived on the scene.

With files from Wendy Gillis