Toronto police are explaining their actions after a suspect in a violent home invasion was released from a hospital, despite officers having questioned him.
Daijohn Richards, 23, is accused of being one of three masked individuals who broke into the $2.1 million mansion of CEO David Morton and his family. The suspects allegedly terrorized the family for valuables before an altercation resulted in Morton, his wife, and their two adult daughters sustaining injuries, including gunshot wounds. Investigators believe Richards was accidentally shot in the shoulder by one of his accomplices during the incident.
Richards later sought treatment for his injury at a Toronto hospital. Under Ontario law, hospitals are required to notify police when treating patients with gunshot wounds. Police responded to the hospital and questioned Richards, but according to Toronto Police Inspector Kristy Smith, they did not have sufficient evidence at that time to establish reasonable grounds for an arrest.
"Recognizing a potential suspect and having enough evidence to arrest them are two different things. Suspicion alone isn't enough. Police need reasonable grounds, supported by evidence, to make an arrest," the department stated on X, formerly Twitter, in an effort to address public questions.
By the time detectives gathered enough evidence, including forensic work and neighborhood inquiries, to link Richards definitively to the home invasion, he had already been discharged from the hospital. A Canada-wide warrant has since been issued for his arrest on multiple charges, including counts of discharging a firearm with intent to wound, robbery with a firearm, and aggravated assault.
The home invasion occurred early Saturday morning when the masked suspects forced their way into the Morton family's home in the affluent Bridle Path neighborhood. The family was asleep at the time and was confronted by the armed intruders. A struggle ensued, resulting in Morton and his daughters being shot, and his wife being struck with a hammer. The victims were all taken to the hospital, with some sustaining injuries described as life-altering. The suspects fled the scene in a dark-colored SUV.
Police have released Richards' photograph and warned the public that he should be considered armed and dangerous. "We know who you are. And we're actively looking for you. Your world just got smaller," Smith said, addressing the fugitive directly at a news conference. The other two suspects have not yet been publicly identified.