Three masked men broke into a Toronto family’s home before dawn and demanded valuables, then shot a father and his two grown daughters and struck the mother with a hammer, police say.
Story Snapshot
- Police say three masked suspects with handguns and a hammer came in through the back door of a home in Toronto’s wealthy Bridle Path area.
- They demanded valuables, a struggle broke out, and they fired their guns several times.
- The father and both adult daughters were shot, and two of the four family members have life-altering injuries.
- The suspects fled in an SUV, and police have reported no arrests.
Masked Gunmen Storm A Family Home
The attack happened around 3:45 a.m. on Thursday, October 29, at a home on Hyde Park Circle, near Bayview and Lawrence avenues. The street sits in the Bridle Path, one of Toronto’s richest neighborhoods, known for its large estates. Insp. Kristy Smith of the Toronto Police Hold Up squad, the unit that investigates robberies, said three masked suspects forced their way in through a rear door. Inside were a husband, his wife and their two adult daughters.
Police said the suspects demanded valuables. “A struggle ensued during this altercation in which the suspects fired their guns multiple times, and one victim was struck with a hammer,” police said. A police spokesperson said it was the mother who was hit with the hammer. Police have not said whether anything was taken, since the family is not staying in the home.
Four Family Members In Hospital
All four family members were taken to hospital. Police first said two of them had life-threatening injuries. Smith later said those two injuries are believed to be life-altering, meaning they are not expected to be fatal but may leave lasting harm. The other two family members have injuries that are not life-threatening. Two of the victims remained in hospital.
Police have not released the family’s names. Some reports have identified the father as a real estate executive. The attackers ran from the house and got away in an SUV. Police have not released a description of the vehicle or of the three suspects.
Police Search For Answers
Smith called the investigation “very active and ongoing.” Police said they have “no information at this point to suspect that this particular home was targeted.” Smith noted that car thieves often break into homes to steal high-end vehicles, but police have not said what these suspects were after. Police are also checking whether a man with a gunshot wound who walked into a local hospital shortly after the attack is linked to the case. They have not confirmed any link. Police are asking anyone with information to contact them.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said she was “deeply troubled” by the attack. A neighbor called it “a terrible shock and tragedy.” Home invasions in Toronto have climbed over the past few years, driven largely by break-ins at houses in the city’s wealthiest neighborhoods, according to an analysis of police data.
A Family’s Worst Fear
The family was asleep in their own home in the middle of the night when armed strangers came through the back door. Canada has tight gun laws, and the attackers still came carrying handguns. It is a hard reminder that criminals do not follow the rules the rest of us live by.
Sources:
thegatewaypundit.com, cp24.com, globalnews.ca, thecanadianpressnews.ca, cbc.ca
