Toronto Police are working to clear up what they call “confusion” regarding why a suspect involved in the violent Bridle Path home invasion, which left a family of four injured, was permitted to leave the hospital after receiving treatment for his own gunshot wound.
Authorities are seeking assistance from the public in locating Daijohn Richards, 23, from Toronto. The other two suspects are described as being in their 20s but have not been named yet. It’s believed that Richards was accidentally shot by one of the assailants.
On Saturday morning, Toronto police inspector Kristy Smith informed reporters that officers had spoken with Richards before he was released from the hospital late Thursday morning. She mentioned that they gathered enough evidence to arrest him by Friday evening.
Facing backlash on social media over their decision not to detain him, Toronto police issued a statement late Saturday afternoon.
“We want to address some confusion surrounding the investigation into the home invasion in the Bridle Path neighbourhood,” police said in the statement.
“Investigators immediately recognized the potential connection between the home invasion and the individual who showed up at hospital with a gunshot wound. But recognizing a potential suspect and having enough evidence to arrest them are two different things.”
“Police need reasonable grounds, supported by evidence, to make an arrest,” it added.
The statement was shared on X with replies disabled, yet it drew strong criticism from users.
“There is no realm of the universe in which this is an acceptable thing for law-enforcement to say and do (or more specifically, not do),” wrote @thevivafrei, who identified themselves as a former litigator, in a quote tweet.
“There’s a lot of ground between ‘arrest’ and ‘do nothing,’” wrote user @pdrobertson.
Richards is wanted on four counts of discharging a firearm with intent to wound, four counts of armed robbery, three counts of aggravated assault and three other charges. Police have released his photo and indicated he may display signs of a shoulder injury.
“We will continue to gather evidence and will go where the evidence takes us. We are grateful for the professionalism, tenacity and commitment of our investigators who continue this work,” Toronto police stated in their Saturday afternoon announcement.
“Let’s keep the focus where it belongs: finding the outstanding suspects and holding those responsible for this violent home invasion accountable.”
At 3 a. m. on Thursday, three attackers armed with guns and a hammer broke into a house in Toronto’s wealthy Bridle Path area. The suspects located residents on the second floor while demanding valuables, according to police reports.
The victims-David Morton, a 75-year-old real estate executive; his wife Doriana Zohil-Morton, 64; and their two adult daughters Maggie and Cristina-were all harmed during this incident. Three family members suffered gunshot wounds while two were struck in the head with a hammer.
“What should have been the safety and security of our own home became a terrifying and life-threatening experience,” Morton said in a statement released Friday.
“While we are focused on recovery and supporting one another as a family, we are also deeply concerned about the increasing violence associated with home invasions and the safety of families throughout Toronto,” he added.
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