In a troubling incident that unfolded last week in the affluent neighborhood of Bridle Path, Toronto, a violent home invasion has drawn significant public attention and concern over police protocols. A man suspected of being involved in the crime was treated for a gunshot wound shortly after the incident and subsequently sought help at a local hospital. Despite police being aware of his presence, they were unable to make an arrest, leading to a national manhunt. This has sparked questions regarding the adequacy of the police response.
According to reports from CP24, Police Chief Myron Demkiw addressed the situation in a press conference on November 2, defending the police’s actions at the time. He asserted that the failure to apprehend the suspect was not a result of police negligence but rather a decision made based on the evidence available to investigators at that moment. He stated, “The officers acted in accordance with the established procedures for handling gunshot victims at hospitals. This type of occurrence is not uncommon in Toronto. They proceeded with the investigation based on the information that was available and the normal progression of the case.”
The individual at the center of this case has been identified as 23-year-old Daijohn Richards, a Toronto resident believed to be linked to a violent home invasion that took place in the early hours of October 29 at a mansion located in the Bridle Path community.
Approximately 30 minutes after the crime, Richards arrived at St. Joseph’s Health Centre with a gunshot wound to his right shoulder. Under Ontario’s Mandatory Gunshot Wounds Reporting Act, hospitals are required to report gunshot victims to the police, which is how Toronto police became aware of Richards seeking medical attention.
While police confirmed they had interacted with Richards and conducted an investigation at the hospital, they acknowledged that they had not gathered sufficient evidence to justify an arrest. “Identifying a potential suspect is different from having enough evidence to make an arrest. Mere suspicion is not enough. There must be reasonable grounds supported by evidence for police to make an arrest,” they explained.
Richards was discharged from the hospital on the afternoon of October 30. Following his release, investigators employed forensic analysis and community outreach to gather more evidence, subsequently confirming his involvement in the home invasion that night. However, by the time they obtained this evidence, he had already left the hospital.
As a result, the police have issued a national warrant for his arrest, indicating that Richards was shot by an accomplice during the invasion.
The home invasion incident took place before 4 a.m. on October 29, when three masked suspects armed with firearms and a hammer broke into a residence on Hyde Park Circle within the affluent community. Upon entering the home, the suspects encountered the homeowners, a couple along with their two adult daughters, leading to a violent confrontation.
The aftermath saw David Morton, a 75-year-old resident, and his two daughters aged 26 and 28, being shot, while both David and his wife, 64-year-old Doriana Zohil-Morton, suffered injuries from being struck with a hammer.
All four victims were rushed to the hospital, where some of their injuries are reported to potentially lead to “lifelong impacts.” As of October 31, police confirmed that some victims had been discharged, although they did not disclose which individuals were still receiving treatment.
Investigators noted that the targeted residence did not appear to be pre-selected by the suspects, indicating a potentially random selection.
David Morton, who is the CEO of a real estate services company in Toronto, issued a statement following the traumatic event saying, “It is incredibly difficult to put into words the trauma experienced during such a horrifying event, especially when it occurs in a place where everyone should feel safest—within their own home.”
Bridle Path is recognized as one of Toronto’s wealthiest neighborhoods, housing a number of multi-million-dollar properties. Notably, Canadian rapper Drake is also a resident of the area, living approximately 700 meters from where the home invasion took place.
On November 2, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow joined Chief Demkiw for a press conference where she condemned the event as a “brutal violent attack.” She expressed her full support for the police chief in the efforts to apprehend the suspect swiftly and collaborate with local resident associations to prevent future home invasions. Mayor Chow also wished for the Morton family’s swift recovery.
Chief Demkiw refrained from disclosing whether police surveillance had been placed on Richards after his hospital discharge, citing the need to preserve the “integrity of the investigation.”
In an interview with CTV News, crime analyst Steve Ryan mentioned that if police lacked sufficient evidence for an arrest, they might arrange for undercover officers to monitor the suspect. He explained their hypothetical process: “They would follow this individual until investigators inform them that enough evidence has been gathered for an arrest, confirming his connection to the Bridle Path home invasion; or until it is established that he is not involved, at which point police would cease their surveillance.”
Ryan highlighted that while police sometimes maintain around-the-clock surveillance on certain suspects, they may lose track of the individual at some point. He noted, “This is not the ideal situation we wish to see. However, in practical law enforcement, such occurrences do happen. Sometimes, you may lose sight of someone you are monitoring. Continuous monitoring is not an easy task.”
The home invasion at Bridle Path marks the 119th reported instance of such crimes in Toronto for 2026, reflecting an increase of over 30% compared to the same period last year, raising further concerns about public safety in the city.