More than 50 people have been arrested in connection with a street gang that is believed to be behind at least three separate murders in downtown Toronto.
In a news conference on Friday morning, Police Chief Mark Saunders said as a result of 43 search warrants conducted throughout the GTA and Montreal on Thursday, 32 people have been taken into custody.
In total, 53 arrests were made as part of the investigation, dubbed ‘Project Sizzle.’
Police said 17 firearms, $45,000 in cash, four luxury vehicles including a Mercedes G-Wagon and at least one bulletproof vest were seized over the duration of the raids.
The raids utilized more than 600 police officers from across the GTA, including members of the RCMP and the OPP.
According to Insp. Bryan Bott, the raids targeted a street gang called ‘Heart of a King.’ Bott said the gang originated from another gang based in Halifax known as “North Preston’s Finest.”
The suspects alleged to be participants in the Heart of a King gang reportedly have family ties to Halifax.
Police said four suspects involved in the murder of 25-year-old Charles Shillingford back in October 2015 are connected to the street gang targeted in Thursday’s raids.
On Oct 31, Shillingford was fatally shot on Charles Street and drove his Chrysler sedan -- while wounded -- into a building at Yonge and College streets as an attempt to flee the scene.
The four suspects involved in this incident were identified as Jahmal Richardson, Mitchell Mannette, Denzell Desmond and Kyle Sparks Mackinnon. They have all since been charged in Shillingford’s death.
Bott alleges that Richardson, a.k.a “Bam” or “Bambino,” is the leader of the gang.
The investigation also links Sparks Mackinnon with the deaths of Quinn Taylor and David Eminess, who were walking in Chinatown on Spadina Avenue on Jan. 31 when they were shot and killed.
Mackinnon, who was already in custody due to charges related to the murders, is now being accused of being a key component in the Heart of a King gang.
He now faces one count of first degree murder, two counts of second degree murder and three counts of attempted murder, along with numerous other weapons and trafficking offences.
Mannette and Desmond each face one count of first-degree murder.
The suspects arrested as part of Project Sizzle face a total of 285 charges.
“We also allege that this criminal organization and its associates are involved in offences of drug trafficking, fraud and prostitution which supports their lifestyle,” Bott said.
Saunders said police have seized 367 firearms since the start of the year. The firearms seized in Project Sizzle will also undergo forensic and ballistic analysis in order to determine if they are connected to previous crimes.
Though the gang is believed to have been active in Toronto since 2010, Saunders said he is confident police have “eradicated” the gang with a series of arrests made since January.
“Wherever they were, there was a propensity for violence,” he added.
Police also believe members of the Heart of a King gang often attended bars and strip clubs in downtown Toronto.
Saunders said he hopes the arrests will encourage residents with information to come forward to police.
“Now that certain people that pose danger are apprehended it gives us an opportunity where people may feel safe now to say, ‘you know what, I knew this information and I feel safe to give it to (police) now,” he said.
