Toronto cops let home invasion suspect walk after refusing to arrest him at hospital—now beg for public's help

That suspect, identified as Daijohn Richards, 23, of Toronto, is believed to have been one of the three men who broke into the High Park Circle home of MAC Group CEO David Morton, his wife, and two adult daughters. Morton and his daughters were shot while his wife was beaten with a hammer. All are expected to survive with “life-altering” injuries.

The three suspects fled, but Richards later arrived at a local hospital seeking treatment for a gun shot wound. It is believed that he was shot by another suspect during the mayhem of the home invasion. Officers were called to the hospital when Richards came in, as is procedure whenever a patient comes in with a gun shot wound.

However, police simply let Richards go. The Toronto Police put out a statement about it. They revealed why they didn’t arrest Richards and scolded the public for being appalled that they had let him go.

“We want to address some confusion surrounding the investigation into the home invasion in the Bridle Path neighbourhood,” said the Toronto Police.

“Investigators immediately recognized the potential connection between the home invasion and the individual who showed up at hospital with a gunshot wound.

“But 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.

“We will continue to gather evidence and will go where the evidence takes us. We are grateful for the professionalism, tenacity and commitment of our investigators who continue this work.

“Let’s keep the focus where it belongs: finding the outstanding suspects and holding those responsible for this violent home invasion accountable.”

Inspector Kristy Smith on Saturday spoke during a press conference announcing that the crack team of Toronto investigators had identified Richards. She urged the suspect to get a lawyer and turn himself in.

She also refused to discuss prior convictions of Richards, saying that this would unfairly bias people against him.

She was asked by reporters why the Toronto Police did not arrest the suspect when he walked into the hospital with a gun shot wound, even though officers had good reason to believe that he was a suspect in the case after having been called to the scene.

“So the suspect walked in on his own to the hospital. There is an agreement in place that we get notified when gunshot victims show up at a hospital, so acting on that protocol, police were called,” Smith said, dodging the obvious.

Another reporter asked if Richards was still at the hospital when police arrived. The answer was yes. Smith tried to address why the man was not arrested, but reporters continued to ask. “But was he still there when the police got to the hospital?” asked a reporter.

“We arrived at the hospital,” Smith said. “We made an investigation, and — and I know the question is going to come about why did we not arrest him at the time when someone walks into a hospital.

“There's a lot of things that need to happen in the period of time for when we become aware of them, to us forming the reasonable grounds that we need to make an arrest and link that person to the crime of this home invasion.

“So through, like, hard work and diligent investigation, including our partners at the Center for Forensic Science, and excellent canvassing of officers out in the community, we were able to make that link.

“But what we need to make sure is that we ironclad a conviction, and we don't just go off of suspicion. And that when we are making an arrest, it's based on reasonable and probable grounds, which is what is required for us by law to make an arrest,” she said.

The reporter was forced to clarify their question to get an answer: “Were police, as well as the suspect in this case, in the hospital together at the same time?”

“The police attended the hospital, and we conducted a number of interactions with this male prior to him being released from hospital,” Smith said. The police questioned the “armed and dangerous” suspect then released him and now demand the public’s help in finding him.

It is unclear, other than perhaps complete and total ineptitude and disregard for the public good, why the police did not hold Richards for questioning while they conducted their investigation.

“Richards was shot in the right shoulder, and as such he may be experiencing pain or discomfort in that area and people may look to see him favoring that side of his body,” Smith said in asking the public to do the job her own police refused to do.

On Thursday morning while the family was asleep, three masked men broke into the home, attacked the family, shot three of them, beat two of them with a hammer, demanded valuables, and fled in an SUV. The family “tried to fight off” the intruders and were shot for their endeavors. Smith said the home was not targeted specifically but rather that the suspects were seeking property.