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Even with eight blows to his head from his own baton, a battered York Regional Police officer still managed to prevent a violent suspect from gaining control of his gun, the Sun has learned.

“There was an attempt to disarm this officer,” said a police source.

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But the cop was able to stop this while deciding since he had already lost his baton, it was better to leave his police-issue firearm locked and holstered to halt any chance of it getting into the wrong hands.

Just one hour before the attempt on the officer’s life, the man now charged with attempted murder was released from police custody for an assault charge from a day earlier — a release officers say was a result of the Newmarket court being largely shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Thanks to the crisis situation, sources say Chidubem Anthony Okeke, 22, left YRP’s station at 171 Major MacKenzie Dr. W., in Richmond Hill on bail after being held overnight for the alleged assault of a roommate.

Part of the bail agreement was that he stay away from his residence. He was still wearing a biohazard suit he was given by police as a result of sanitary issues with the clothes he wore when he was arrested.