Toronto police have identified one of three suspects wanted in connection with a violent home invasion in the city’s affluent Bridle Path neighbourhood that left four members of a family injured, including three who suffered gunshot wounds.
Police said Saturday that a Canada-wide arrest warrant has been issued for 23-year-old Daijohn Richards of Toronto, who investigators believe was accidentally shot by one of the other suspects during the confrontation inside the home.
The attack occurred shortly before 3:45 a.m. Thursday, October 29, at a residence in the Post Road and Hyde Park Circle area, near Bayview Avenue and Lawrence Avenue East. Three masked men allegedly forced their way into the home through a rear entrance while armed with handguns and a hammer.
Once inside, the suspects went to the second floor, where they confronted the four occupants—a husband, his wife and their two adult daughters. Police said the intruders demanded personal valuables before a violent struggle broke out.
Multiple shots were fired during the confrontation. A 75-year-old man and his two daughters, aged 26 and 28, suffered gunshot wounds. The 75-year-old man and his 64-year-old wife were also struck with a hammer, according to police. All four family members were taken to hospital.
Police have said two of the victims suffered life-altering injuries, while the other two sustained injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Some members of the family have since been released from hospital, while others continue to recover.
The family has been identified in media reports as the family of Toronto real estate executive David Morton, the chief executive officer of MAC Group. Morton said in a statement that the attack had transformed what should have been the safety of the family home into a terrifying and life-threatening experience.
“No family should ever have to experience this,” Morton said, adding that the family was concentrating on recovery and supporting one another following the attack.
After the confrontation, the three suspects fled the area in a dark-coloured SUV before police arrived. Investigators initially had limited information about the suspects, but officers subsequently connected Richards to the case after he sought medical treatment for a gunshot wound.
Police said Richards went to St. Joseph’s Health Centre later on Thursday with a gunshot wound to his right shoulder. Investigators believe he was accidentally struck by one of his accomplices during the struggle inside the Bridle Path home.
Richards was discharged from hospital on Friday afternoon before investigators had completed the connection between him and the home invasion. Police later identified him as a suspect and obtained a Canada-wide warrant for his arrest.
Toronto police say Richards is wanted on four counts of discharge of a firearm with intent to wound, four counts of robbery with a firearm, three counts of aggravated assault, break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence, possession of a prohibited device and disguise with intent.
The other two suspects remain unidentified and are still being sought. Police believe they are males in their 20s. All three suspects are considered armed and dangerous.
Police have also released an image of Richards and are warning members of the public not to approach him if they see him. Anyone with information about his whereabouts or the identities of the other suspects is being urged to contact investigators.
The motive behind the attack remains under investigation. Police have said they do not currently believe the family was specifically targeted because of the identities of its members. Instead, investigators believe the suspects may have been attracted to the affluent neighbourhood because of the possibility of finding valuables.
That distinction is significant because the Bridle Path is one of Toronto’s wealthiest residential areas, known for large properties and high-value homes. Police have indicated that the investigation is examining whether the suspects had been looking at other properties in the area before the attack.
The case has also intensified concerns about the rise in home invasions across Toronto. Police said 119 home invasions had been reported in the city so far this year, representing an increase of more than 30 per cent compared with the same period last year.
Toronto Police Inspector Kristy Smith said residents should not have to fear being attacked inside their own homes and promised that investigators would continue working to identify and arrest everyone involved.
The attack has shaken residents of the Bridle Path and surrounding communities, particularly because the violence occurred inside a private residence while the family was at home.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow previously described the incident as deeply troubling and said the violence was unacceptable, emphasizing that residents must be able to feel safe in their homes.
Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the break-in, including the suspects’ movements before and after the attack, whether the home was selected because of its location and whether the group may be connected to other violent offences.
Investigators are also asking residents in the surrounding area to review doorbell-camera, surveillance-camera and dashcam footage that may have captured the suspects or their vehicle around the time of the incident.
The Toronto Police Service has urged anyone with information to contact the Hold-Up Squad.
With one suspect now identified and a Canada-wide warrant issued, the investigation has entered a new phase. Police are continuing their search for Richards and the two other suspects while the injured family members recover from an attack that has once again raised questions about the safety of Toronto residents in their own homes.
Authorities have stressed that the suspects remain dangerous and that members of the public should leave any confrontation to police.
For investigators, the immediate priority is to locate Richards and identify the two remaining suspects. For the family and residents of the Bridle Path, the focus is on recovery and restoring a sense of security after one of Toronto’s most violent recent home invasions.