An innocent businessman was targeted for his money and property by three suspects who robbed his North York home and attacked him.
Toronto police turned to the media Wednesday morning, releasing surveillance footage from the incident and making a public plea for information about the “most dangerous” of the suspects.
The incident unfolded on Feb. 20, 2017 at an apartment building near Yonge Street and Sheppard Avenue West.
It’s believed the suspects accessed the building through an underground entrance, made their way up to the victim’s apartment and knocked on the door.
When the man answered, police say the two men rushed into the apartment and demanded he give them money and jewelry.
Investigators say that while the victim struggled with the suspects, one of them fired two shots while the other stabbed him in the head with a screwdriver numerous times.
The group allegedly ransacked the apartment and fled with jewelry and cash. Police say the victim sustained a gunshot wound to his shoulder
Toronto Police Staff Insp. Mike Earl told reporters Wednesday that the victim was targeted but he is innocent. He said the victim sustained a gunshot wound to his shoulder and multiple injuries to his head but is “recovering well” physically.
“From my investigators, this has nothing to do with drugs or gangs, this is a home invasion of an innocent individual, a business owner. The motive for this is clearly money and property,” he said.
“They targeted him. They had information from somewhere (about) who he is and what he does as a living. They weren’t going door to door in this complex. This was well planned.”
During Wednesday’s news conference, Toronto police released security camera footage taken from inside the victim’s apartment. It shows a violent struggle between three men – two of whom are concealing their identities with dark clothing and hooded garments.
Earl said some of the video surveillance investigators have obtained shows the suspects canvassing the apartment building half an hour before the incident took place.
The victim has not returned to his residence since the attack, he said.
“He is still terrified and I’m sure going to be looking over his shoulder for a long time because of what he’s gone through,” he said. “The critical stress he’s gone through is unbelievable. I can’t imagine what he’s gone through.”
Police arrested four suspects between March 16 and May 27, 2017 in connection with the incident but Earl says the “most dangerous” suspect remains unidentified and outstanding.
“He’s the one armed with a firearm right now so we need to identify who he is and get him off the streets,” he said.
“We’re trying to get this individual off the streets because, in my view right now, he’s the most dangerous.”
Suspects identified as Andre Allen, 26, Krystle Cormack, 33, Mark Bollers, 27, and Toni Baxter, 26, were all arrested between March 16 and May 27, 2017.
They’re each facing a list of charges including attempted murder, aggravated assault and robbery while armed with a firearm.
Earl said that the same suspects are believed to have been involved in a similar home invasion in Kingston just five days prior to the North York incident.
He said the two incidents are “clearly connected.”
“In that home invasion, two males also entered the premises and nobody was shot, nobody was seriously injured but Mr. Bollers was arrested by Kingston police,” Earl said.
“Mr. Bollers, who we’re alleging is part of the conspiracy in this, was on firearm-related charges at the time of this incident and was actually being monitored by an ankle bracelet during this and in Kingston. That helped our investigation.”
Anyone with new information about the investigation is being asked to call police or Crime Stoppers.
