Toronto Police Defend Decision to Release Wounded Home Invasion Suspect

On November 2, Toronto police defended their handling of the investigation into a home invasion at the Bridle Path residence of MAC Group CEO David Morton. Police said officers questioned Daijohn Richards, 23, at a Toronto hospital after he arrived with a gunshot wound, but did not have sufficient evidence to arrest him at the time.

Three masked intruders entered the family’s home around 3:40 a.m. Thursday and demanded valuables, police said. Morton, his wife Doriana and their two adult daughters were attacked. Morton and both daughters were shot, while family members were also struck with a hammer. All four went to hospital; two have been discharged, and two are still receiving treatment for injuries expected to have lasting effects.

Police suspect Richards was shot in the shoulder by one of the other men during the incident. Hospital staff notified police because of the gunshot wound, and officers had several interactions with him. Police said later forensic work and neighborhood inquiries helped establish grounds to identify him as a suspect, but he had already left the hospital.

Police have issued a nationwide warrant for Richards, alleging he committed firearm robbery, aggravated assault and firing a gun with intent to wound. Police say two other suspects remain outstanding and are armed and dangerous. The intruders fled in a dark SUV.

Morton described the attack as a traumatic experience in the place his family should feel safest. Police said the investigation continues as they seek the remaining suspects.

Police Must Explain How a Wounded Suspect Left the Hospital

On November 2, Toronto police defended a decision that left a wounded home invasion suspect free to leave a hospital before investigators had assembled enough evidence to arrest him. The department says suspicion alone cannot justify detention, but the case raises serious questions about how investigators handle a potential suspect connected to a violent attack.

Three masked intruders broke into CEO David Morton’s Bridle Path home around 3:40 a.m. Thursday and demanded valuables. Morton, his wife and their two adult daughters were injured by gunfire and a hammer. Police believe Daijohn Richards, 23, was accidentally shot by an accomplice and later went to hospital, where officers questioned him.

Police say forensic work and neighborhood inquiries eventually provided grounds to name Richards as a suspect, but he had already been discharged. He is now sought under a nationwide warrant for alleged firearm robbery and aggravated assault. Two other suspects remain at large.

The law’s evidentiary threshold matters: police should not arrest someone on suspicion alone. But the family’s injuries and the timeline demand a clear account of how officers assessed the risk while Richards was still in their reach. The investigation continues, and Morton has urged anyone with information to come forward.

A Suspect in a Brutal Home Invasion Walked Out of Hospital

On November 2, Toronto police were defending why a man they now identify as a suspect in a violent home invasion was allowed to leave a hospital after officers questioned him. The department says it needed evidence supporting an arrest, not merely suspicion. That legal standard does not erase the troubling outcome: a wounded man linked to the attack was gone before investigators built their case.

Three masked intruders entered CEO David Morton’s home in Toronto’s Bridle Path neighborhood around 3:40 a.m. Thursday. Morton, his wife and their two adult daughters were attacked with firearms and a hammer. Police believe Richards, 23, was shot by an accomplice during the struggle and then sought hospital treatment.

Officers spoke with him, but police say forensic analysis and neighborhood inquiries later supplied grounds to identify him as a suspect. Richards is now sought under a nationwide warrant alleging firearm robbery, aggravated assault and firing a gun with intent to wound. Two other suspects are still being sought and are considered armed and dangerous.

Respect for due process is essential, but so is public confidence that police can respond effectively when a violent suspect appears at a hospital. The family is left recovering while the investigation continues and the outstanding suspects remain at large.