Three injured in early-morning home invasion in Toronto's Bridle Path
Police say three people were shot and one struck with a hammer during a masked home invasion in an affluent Toronto neighbourhood on Thursday morning.
Toronto police responded to a reported break-in at a residence on Bayview Avenue and Lawrence Avenue East at about 4 a.m. on Thursday. Inspector Kristy Smith of the Toronto Police Service investigative unit said three masked suspects entered through a rear door, armed with handguns and, in one case, a hammer.
"Once inside, they confronted the family," Smith told reporters.
During the confrontation, the suspects fired multiple shots and struck the mother with the hammer, while one daughter was shot, according to a police spokesperson. No evidence suggests the victims returned fire.
The assailants fled the scene in an SUV. Police have not released descriptions of the suspects. Smith said investigators have not yet determined whether the home was specifically targeted or what the motive was, but noted a recent increase in burglaries aimed at stealing high-end vehicles.
"Typically in an affluent neighbourhood come nice things, and there’s always people out there that want to acquire nice things. And carjackings used to be a way that criminals would acquire cars. That seems to have transitioned into breaking into a home to steal a vehicle," she said, adding that the homeowner’s vehicle was not taken.
Smith advised residents to remain vigilant, watch for suspicious activity, and call 911 if they feel they are being followed.