Well-known Brampton, Ont. real estate agent, media personality savagely attacked outside home
Graphic content warning: This story contains details readers may find disturbing.
A well-known real estate agent and media personality in Brampton, Ont. was viciously attacked in broad daylight in his own driveway by three men, two of whom appeared to be wielding an axe and a machete.
Peel police said it happened at around 8:15 a.m. on Aug. 4 in the area of Hurontario Street and Mayfield Road.
In video obtained by CTV News Toronto, the victim, who has been identified by family as Joti Singh Mann, is seen approaching his white Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. As he is getting settled in the driver’s seat, he is approached by an axe-wielding suspect and slams the door shut.
Video shows the suspect swinging his weapon in full force at the driver-side window—breaking the glass on impact and removing the window completely on the second swing.
As Singh Mann opens the door, two other suspects enter the frame, one of whom is armed with what appears to be a machete.
The three men, dressed in black and wearing masks, are seen savagely attacking the man while they pull him out of his vehicle.
Mann attempts to escape his attackers by running behind the vehicle, where he is caught and attacked for another 30 seconds before a woman, who has since been identified by CP24 as Mann’s mother, exits the home to intervene.
Once the suspects flee, Mann’s mother can be seen running to her son, who is not seen for the remainder of the video.
Emergency crews were called to the scene shortly after the incident. Peel police could not speak to the extent of Mann’s injuries, but said he is currently in stable condition.
Mann is a well-known real estate agent in Brampton and frequently appears on his own podcast in which he discusses ongoing issues in India.
Speaking to CP24, Brampton Councillor Gurpreet Singh Dhillon said he has visited Mann in hospital and that his injuries include an amputated big toe, the loss of mobility in one of his hands, and that he has received upwards of 25 stitches.
“A lot of people are questioning the safety in this city,” Singh Dhillon told CP24, adding that this is the third attack on a Punjabi media personality in Brampton in the last year. In fact, Mann’s mother told CP24 that her son had received a threat while he was recording a recent episode of his podcast.
“A lot of people are also questioning the freedom of the media to report and do their commentary. So we’re looking forward to getting more information from police as they do their investigation.”
Investigators tell CTV News Toronto that the incident was targeted and not related to a carjacking, but that the motive behind the attack is not known at this time.
No arrests have been made.
‘THIS WAS CLEARLY ATTEMPTED MURDER’: BRAMPTON MAYOR
In an interview with CP24 Wednesday afternoon, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown praised Mann’s mother’s bravery while condemning the attack in the strongest terms.
“The courage of the mother to face these criminals—this was clearly attempted murder,” Brown said.
“She showed incredible courage and her heroic actions probably saved her son’s life."
Brown said he is in communication with Peel police and that they have “very strong leads” on the suspects involved.
In the meantime, Brown underscored freedom of the press and reiterated that no one should feel intimidated for sharing their ideas.
“Whatever topics this podcaster was speaking about, the notion that someone could try through violence to silence them is criminal behavior that can never be tolerated,” Brown said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Being harassed at work? What to consider when deciding what to do next
If you've been the victim of workplace harassment, it can be difficult to feel you're not alone - and even more difficult to know where to go with a complaint.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Half of Canadians support TikTok ban, with U.S. concerns 'trickling' north: poll
A new poll indicates 51 per cent of Canadians support banning the social media app TikTok, after a U.S. bill aiming to do just that passed in the House of Representatives.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.