The alleged triggerman in Saturday’s shocking cop shooting was wanted for a 2022 attempted murder that left the victim clinging to life, The Toronto Sun has learned.

Cops say that just after 11:30 p.m., officers were conducting an investigation in the Bathurst-King Sts. area. The injured officer had was off-duty and allegedly recognized the suspect.

The bullet struck the cop in the leg, and he was taken to hospital.

“A short foot chase ensued, during which the accused shot the off-duty officer in the leg. At the time, the accused was arrested,” Detective Sgt. Brandon Price alleged. “The officer was transported to hospital, where his injuries were deemed non-life threatening. He has since been released, and is recovering at home.”

Javell Jackson, 30, of no fixed address, is wanted for a shooting in downtown Toronto on Dec. 3, 2022.
Javell Jackson, 30, of no fixed address, is wanted for a shooting in downtown Toronto on Dec. 3, 2022.Photo by Handout /Toronto Police

“There was no firing back from police,” Price told reporters. “The individual was arrested largely without incident.”

Police sources have identified the gunman as Javell Jackson, 30.

“This goofball just turned around and started shooting. He’s a real piece of work,” alleged one detective, who asked not to be identified.

Jackson is well-known to cops.

In January 2013, Jackson, then 18, shot a man in the back, leaving him permanently paralyzed from the waist down. He was arrested the next year, convicted of aggravated assault and possession of a loaded prohibited firearm, and sentenced to 42 months in November 2014.

Javell Jackson is just one shocking example of how our catch and release judicial system treats those accused or convicted of gun crimes.
Javell Jackson is just one shocking example of how our catch-and-release judicial system treats those accused or convicted of gun crimes.

Jackson was paroled in June 2016 after serving just over 18 months. But he was yanked back into custody for parole violations and remained in prison until his statutory release on March 2, 2017.

Jackson had several brushes with the law in the 16 months between that release and his arrest on June 22, 2018, for incidents such as uttering death threats and tossing a slushie in a road rage incident.

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In 2021, he was in a vehicle in Timmins when the driver fired at cops in the northern Ontario city. Then 27, Jackson fled and was subsequently busted in southern Ontario for other charges.

On Aug. 11, 2021, Jackson pleaded guilty to a single count of failing to comply with a release order and other charges and was sentenced to 45 days in jail. In addition, he was hit by a three-year probation order.

The triggerman involved in the Timmins shootout was sentenced to nine years in a federal prison. The incident stemmed from a break-in and Jackson’s co-conspirator started shooting at cops, who fired back, sending Warren Able to hospital.

“Acting in self-defence, one of the officers returned fire, wounding the aggressor and successfully halting the attempts to murder the police officers,” cops said in a press release at the time.

Able was convicted and sentenced to nine years in a federal prison.

On Dec. 3, 2022, cops say that a man was shot several times near Church and Front streets, leaving the victim clinging to life. The shooter was alleged to be Jackson.

And until Saturday night, the suspect remained at large. Jackson had been wanted for attempted murder, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm contrary to a prohibition order and … failure to comply with a release order.

None of the outstanding charges have been tested in court.

“This guy is a menace,” alleged a police source. “Why the hell was he even out?”

A good question.

One that is sadly asked every single day in this country.

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@HunterTOSun