A 38-year-old York Regional police officer was killed after being involved in a direct collision accident in Markham while on his way to work Wednesday morning. The collision occurred between two vehicles, involving a white Honda Accord and a Porsche Cayenne on the main McKenzie East road, between Richard Pearson Drive and Warden Avenue, at around 6 a.m.

The police said an adult driver was pronounced dead at the scene, and the driver was a YRP police officer identified by police as Constable Travis Gillespie. York Regional Police added that Gillespie had been a sworn officer since April 2020 and was assigned to Uniform Patrol in Area 2.

The driver of the Porsche – a 23-year-old man from Markham – was also taken to the hospital to receive treatment for minor injuries. Additionally, debris can be seen scattered across the road on Major McKenzie Road Wednesday morning, and the impact appears to have separated the engine from the Honda.

Several witnesses called the police immediately after the collision and provided assistance, but they urged anyone with further information to contact investigators or call the Stoppers program.

The police stated that they have handed over the investigation of the fatal collision to Peel Regional Police "to ensure that York Regional Police members are not further traumatized by this incident," as the situation affected police community members as well as the community as a whole.

Police Chief Jim MacSween said in a statement, "This is devastating news for all members of our organization. I offer my deepest condolences to Travis’s family, friends, and colleagues. It is never easy to lose a member, and losing Travis so unexpectedly is very difficult."

Bill Grodzinski, retired Special Police Chief at Metrolinx, described the loss as "devastating" in a tweet, and Metrolinx spokesperson Ann Marie Aikens added that “Travis was very beloved and loved his job and helping people.”

Premier Doug Ford said in a tweet that he was "surrounded" by news of the death of a second officer in Ontario this week, writing: "I was shocked by the tragic death of another police officer in our province. My thoughts are with their loved ones."

The incident represents the second officer death in the GTA this week after Toronto police constable Andrew Hong was killed in a shooting in Mississauga on Monday.