Police hunt suspects after Toronto executive, family attacked in home invasion

Investigators say the family was targeted solely because of their affluent neighborhood

Police in Toronto are searching for three suspects after an early-morning home invasion in the city’s wealthy Bridle Path neighborhood left a real estate executive, his two daughters and his wife injured. The suspects demanded valuables before assaulting the family and fleeing in a car, Toronto Police said.

Police said the incident happened around 03:44 EST (07:00 GMT) on Thursday morning, when the suspects entered the property through a rear door. The intruders confronted the family and fired their guns multiple times, wounding the father and his two daughters, and hit the wife on the head with a hammer, according to police.

Derek Morton, chief executive of the Mac Group, confirmed the attack in a statement, saying, “No family should ever have to experience this.” Morton said his family was reeling from “the trauma of experiencing something so horrific in the one place where everyone should feel safest: their own home.”

“Three masked individuals forcibly entered our residence, armed with handguns and a hammer,” Morton said in a statement on Friday. “During the attack, three members of our family were shot and are currently recovering in hospital. All four members of our family were also attacked with a hammer, leaving everyone injured and requiring emergency medical attention.”

Morton did not name the family members, but media reports indicate that his two adult daughters, Cristina and Maggie, were shot and that his wife, Doriana Zohil-Morton, was struck in the head with a hammer. Police did not identify the victims but listed their ages as 75, 64, 28 and 26. Two of the victims remain in hospital, police said.

Authorities have not released the identities of the suspects, who police said are believed to be men in their 20s. Inspector Kristy Smith of the Toronto Police Service said investigators do not yet know whether the suspects took anything from the home and are working to recover bullet casings that could help identify them.

Police believe the family was targeted solely because they lived in an affluent area. “Typically, in an affluent neighbourhood comes nice things – and there’s always people out there that want to acquire nice things,” Smith told reporters.

The home invasion took place in the Bridle Path, one of Canada’s wealthiest neighborhoods, whose residents have included the music stars Drake and Celine Dion. The area is known for its large gated estates — many of them owned by celebrities or international business owners — behind high walls and iron gates, with hired security often seen patrolling. The BBC report also noted a man was detained for attempting to enter Drake’s home.

Police figures show that home invasions are on the rise in Toronto, and some residents say they are taking steps to upgrade home security. Police Chief Myron Demkiw said Bridle Path residents should expect to see increased patrols over the coming days. “We also continue to make strategic decisions and dedicate additional resources to address this concerning trend of home invasions and to keep our communities safe,” he said.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, who was recently elected to a second term, said she was “deeply troubled” by the home invasion. “This attack has understandably shaken the neighbourhood and many residents across Toronto,” Chow wrote on X. “This violence is not acceptable in our city. People must be safe in their own homes.”

Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre called the incident “horrific” in a separate post on X. “These criminals must be apprehended and held accountable for their actions before the justice system,” Poilievre said.