Toronto police name suspect in Bridle Path home invasion after hospital encounter

Explainer

Toronto police have identified one of three suspects in a violent Bridle Path home invasion as a 23-year-old man who was accidentally shot by an accomplice and later sought treatment at a hospital. Daijohn Richards, 23, of Toronto, is wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for his alleged role in the early Thursday attack that left a family of four with gunshot wounds and hammer injuries. Police said they interacted with Richards while he was in hospital for a gunshot wound to the right shoulder but did not have the evidence to arrest him before he was discharged. Investigators developed that evidence Friday evening, hours after his release, and are now asking the public for help locating him, describing him as armed and dangerous.

Inspector Kristy Smith of the Toronto Police Hold-Up Squad said Richards walked into a Toronto hospital on his own on Thursday. "We believe that he was accidentally shot by one of the other suspects in this home invasion," Smith told reporters at a Saturday news conference. She said Richards may be favouring his right side due to pain and discomfort. Police are also seeking two other suspects, described as men in their 20s wearing dark clothing, who are also considered armed and dangerous.

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Why wasn't the suspect arrested at the hospital?

Inspector Smith explained that while police have a protocol to be notified when gunshot victims arrive at a hospital, they cannot make an arrest without reasonable grounds. Officers conducted "a number of interactions" with Richards while he was receiving treatment but could not immediately link him to the crime. "We need to make sure we ironclad a conviction and don't just go off of suspicion," she said. Investigators developed the necessary evidence with help from forensic scientists and detective work by Friday night, but by then Richards had already been discharged from the hospital early Friday afternoon. Richards is now 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, possession of a prohibited device and disguise with intent. Speaking directly to Richards, Smith said police are actively looking for him and that his world just got smaller, and she strongly urged him to contact a lawyer and turn himself in. Police would not say whether Richards has faced prior criminal charges to avoid jeopardizing any court processes.

What happened during the home invasion?

Police were called to a home on Hyde Park Circle near Bayview and Lawrence avenues around 3:45 a.m. on Oct. 29. Three masked suspects armed with handguns and a hammer forced their way into the home through the back entrance while the family was sleeping. The assailants confronted the family, demanded valuables and opened fire. The victims are 75-year-old David Morton, his 64-year-old wife Doriana Zohil-Morton, and their two adult daughters, aged 26 and 28. Police said the father and the two daughters were shot multiple times, and two people were struck in the head with a hammer.

All four victims were taken to hospital. Inspector Smith said on Saturday that some have been released and some remain hospitalized. "What I can say is that, through the grace of God, they are in life-altering condition and not life-threatening condition," she said. David Morton, the chief executive of the real estate company MAC Group, released a statement on Friday. "What should have been the safety and security of our own home became a terrifying and life-threatening experience," Morton said. "During the attack, three members of our family were shot and are currently recovering in hospital. All four members of our family were also attacked with a hammer."

Was the attack targeted?

Police said there is no evidence to suggest the home invasion was targeted. Inspector Smith said the motive is believed to be profiting from crime in an affluent area. "We talk about affluence and people wanting things and entering into an area of affluence where there are things that are sought after is what we believe the motive to be at this time," Smith said. She described the violence inflicted on the family as "an appalling level of violence, all for the purpose of acquiring property."

In his statement, David Morton said his family is traumatized and focused on recovery, but is becoming more concerned with increasing violence associated with home invasions in Toronto. "No family should ever have to experience this. People should be able to sleep peacefully in their homes without fear of armed individuals breaking in and threatening their lives," he wrote. According to Toronto police, 119 home invasions have been reported in the city this year, an increase of more than 35 per cent from the same time last year. Nosy Mag reported in October that police had arrested three people in a separate violent robbery ring targeting sellers of luxury goods.

Inspector Smith urged anyone with information about the suspects to contact police and warned the public not to approach them. "All three suspects are considered armed and dangerous and we are asking members of the public to not approach them," she said. She also addressed the legal right to defend one's home, noting that the Criminal Code gives people the right to protect their home in a dangerous situation, but that police do not recommend using force if possible. "You are responsible for that use of force," she said, adding people should call police instead where possible. Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw vowed that officers would be "relentless" in their hunt for the suspects, who fled the area in a dark coloured SUV. The investigation is ongoing, and police continue to seek the two other suspects.

With files from The Canadian Press, The Globe and Mail and CBC News