A Canadian real estate CEO has spoken out after he and his family were injured in a violent home invasion at their Toronto residence in the early hours of Thursday.
David Morton, CEO of real estate business The Mac Group, was shot and bashed with a hammer along with his daughters, Maggie and Cristina Zohil-Morton, while his wife, Doriana Zohil-Morton, was hit with the hammer, according to a report by the New York Post.
The family was injured as they fought back against the intruders at their multi-million-dollar home in Toronto's affluent Bridle Path neighbourhood at 3:45 am on Thursday.
Canadian CEO speaks out about 'horrific' home invasion
In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, David Morton, 75, described the incident as a “terrifying and life-threatening experience”. He said the attack left him, his wife and their two daughters injured and requiring emergency medical attention.
According to The Post, Morton and his daughters, both in their 20s, were injured as they “tried to fight off” three men wearing hoodies and ski masks, while his wife, 64, also sustained injuries from the hammer.
{{/usCountry}}According to The Post, Morton and his daughters, both in their 20s, were injured as they “tried to fight off” three men wearing hoodies and ski masks, while his wife, 64, also sustained injuries from the hammer.
{{/usCountry}}Morton and one of his daughters were shot in the leg, while the other daughter was shot under the arm, the outlet reported.
“What should have been the safety and security of our own home became a terrifying and life-threatening experience,” Morton said in the statement.
“It is difficult to put into words the trauma of experiencing something so horrific in the one place where everyone should feel safest: their own home,” he said.
“No family should ever have to experience this. People should be able to sleep peacefully in their homes without fear of armed individuals breaking in and threatening their lives,” he added.
The CEO also expressed gratitude towards Toronto Police, emergency responders, paramedics and hospital staff for their swift response and assistance. He thanked relatives, friends, neighbours and others who had reached out to support the family.
In his statement, Morton also raised concerns about the increasing violence associated with home invasions and the safety of families across Toronto. “While we are focused on recovery and supporting one another as a family, we are also deeply concerned about the increasing violence associated with home invasions and the safety of families throughout Toronto,” he said.
He expressed hope that those responsible would be identified, apprehended and brought to justice, while urging anyone with information to assist the police investigation. The CEO also requested privacy for his family as they focus on recovering from the traumatic incident.
“We are a family, and our priority is getting through this together,” he said.
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What happened during the home invasion?
According to PEOPLE, Toronto Police officers responded to the home invasion in the city’s Bridle Path neighbourhood at around 3:44 am on Thursday. Kristy Smith, an inspector with the Toronto Police Service’s Hold Up squad, said there had been a “violent interaction” inside the residence. The suspects allegedly demanded valuables from the family, although police are yet to establish whether they managed to take anything.
“There was a violent interaction. There was a demand made for valuables from within the home – whether or not they escaped with anything is uncertain,” Smith said.
Police have not determined whether the family was specifically targeted or established the motive behind the attack. The investigation remains active and ongoing.