Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) has announced an arrest related to the deadly shooting of a security guard at Pickering Casino Resort nearly three years ago.
Officers arrived at the entertainment complex around 5 a. m. on Oct. 9, 2023. They found a man, identified by police as 24-year-old Michael Ferdinand, who was suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound and later died in the hospital.
Police report that Michael Ferdinand, 34, was shot and killed while working as a security guard at Pickering Casino Resort on the morning of Oct. 9, 2023. Photo: DRPS.
A month later, authorities issued a Canada-wide warrant for a 17-year-old suspect wanted for second-degree murder in this case.
Two years after that, in 2025, Crime Stoppers announced a $25,000 reward for information leading to the suspect’s arrest. At that time, DRPS noted that the now-20-year-old suspect did not have a fixed address when the shooting occurred.
On July 20, 2026, police provided an update stating they had “located a suspect connected to the Pickering Casino Resort homicide investigation outside of Ontario. With help from law enforcement partners in other provinces, the suspect was taken into custody.”
Investigators from Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) confirmed that the arrest took place in Saskatchewan.
SPS mentioned in their statement that “during a search of his person, a loaded handgun was located and seized.” They added that “arrangements will be made to transport the accused back to Durham Region.”
The name of the suspect has not been released since he was underage at the time of the shooting.
“We are working closely with these law enforcement partners and will pursue all available legal avenues to ensure that any individual sought in connection with this investigation is returned to the appropriate jurisdiction to face the charges against them. As this remains an active and ongoing investigation, further information will be released as it becomes available,” said DRPS in their statement.
With files from Dilshad Burman, Lucas Casaletto, and Michael Ranger, City News
Police on scene of a shooting at the Pickering Casino Resort on Oct. 9, 2023. CITYNEWS/Karim Islam Keep it Factual
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