Masked Gunmen Storm Canadian CEO’s Mansion, Shoot Him and His Daughters and Beat Wife With Hammer — One Suspect Is Identified

A wealthy Toronto family was left traumatized after three masked intruders armed with guns and a hammer stormed their luxury mansion in the middle of the night, śh́óóting a real estate executive and his two daughters before fleeing.

The violent home invasion happened at approximately 3:40 a.m. on October 29 at the family’s residence in the exclusive Bridle Path neighbourhood of Toronto, Canada.

The victims were identified as David Morton, 75, chief executive of real estate company THE MAC Group; his wife, Doriana Zohil-Morton, 64; and their two adult daughters, Cristina and Maggie, aged 28 and 26.

According to Toronto police, three masked men forced their way into the property through a rear entrance before heading to the second floor, where the family members were sleeping.

The intruders allegedly demanded valuables from the occupants. A violent confrontation followed, during which multiple firearms were discharged.

David and both daughters were shot, while Doriana was struck in the head with a hammer. Police also said the family members were attacked with the w𝔢𝔞𝔭𝔬η during the ordeal.

All four victims were taken to hospital. Two suffered what investigators described as life-altering injuries, while the others sustained less serious wounds. Doriana was subsequently released from hospital, while David and the daughters required further treatment.

In a statement released shortly after the attack, David described the experience as terrifying and life-threatening.

“What should have been the safety and security of our own home became a terrifying and life-threatening experience,” he said.

He added that the family was struggling with the trauma of being attacked in the place where they should have felt safest.

The intruders escaped in a dark-coloured SUV before police arrived. Investigators initially described them as three men believed to be around 20 years old, all wearing dark clothing and face coverings.

A major breakthrough came on October 31, when Toronto police identified one of the alleged attackers as 23-year-old Daijohn Richards.

Investigators believe Richards was accidentally shot in the right shoulder by one of his accomplices during the struggle inside the mansion.

Police said he later went to St. Joseph’s Health Centre with a gunshot wound. Officers spoke with him at the hospital, but investigators had not yet established sufficient grounds to arrest him at that time.

After Richards was discharged, detectives continued gathering evidence through neighbourhood canvassing and forensic analysis. That evidence eventually allowed investigators to identify him as a suspect.

A Canada-wide arrest warrant was issued. Richards faces four counts of discharging a firearm with intent to wound, four counts of robbery with a firearm, three counts of aggravated assault, as well as charges related to break and enter, possession of a prohibited device and disguise with intent.

Police have emphasized that Richards is wanted and has not been convicted of the allegations.

The other two suspects have not been publicly identified. All three men are considered armed and dangerous, and authorities have warned members of the public not to approach them.

The case has also sparked questions about why Richards was not arrested when he first appeared at the hospital with a gunshot wound.

Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw defended the officers’ actions, explaining that investigators did not initially have information indicating that one of the intruders had been shot during the home invasion.

He said police could not make an arrest based on suspicion alone and needed sufficient evidence to establish reasonable grounds.

Authorities believe the family may have been targeted because of the wealth associated with the Bridle Path neighbourhood, where large estates and luxury properties are common. However, investigators have not established that the family was specifically targeted in advance.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow condemned the attack, saying residents should be able to feel safe inside their own homes.

The incident has intensified concerns about violent home invasions in the city. Toronto police reported that 119 such incidents had been recorded during the year at the time of the investigation, representing a substantial increase compared with the previous year.

For the Morton family, the priority remains recovering from an ordeal that turned their home into the scene of a violent armed confrontation.

Meanwhile, police continue searching for Richards and the two unidentified suspects as investigators work to establish exactly how the attack was planned and carried out.

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