A man who fired a gun at five suspects attempting to steal a Lamborghini from a Vaughan, Ont., driveway has been charged, police say.
York Regional Police responded to a call at Pine Heights Drive, near Major MacKenzie Drive West and Highway 400, at 4 a.m. on June 12, following a report of a vehicle theft in progress.
The sound of a gunshot was heard by an emergency dispatcher who was on the phone with a caller reporting the attempted theft, Const. James Dickson told reporters during a June 12 press conference. He did not say who was speaking to the 911 dispatcher.
Officers arrested four suspects after arriving on scene, he said. Three adults and one youth were taken into custody for allegedly attempting to steal a vehicle and one suspect remains outstanding.
The 35-year-old male resident was also arrested in connection with the gunshot, Dickson said, adding that the shot did not result in any injuries.
The resident is facing four firearm-related charges, including possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
“We cannot stress enough that using a firearm in a residential neighbourhood is incredibly dangerous,” Dickson said.
He said police have determined that use of a firearm was an inappropriate choice.
“It’s very fortunate in this case that nobody was hurt, but we always are saying, immediately, call 911, don’t put yourself in harm’s way, and prioritize your personal safety,” he said. “Defending yourself is entirely based on what’s proportional and what’s reasonable.”
Three adult males are facing charges of attempted break and enter, attempted vehicle theft, disguise with intent and possession of property over $5,000 obtained by a crime, police said in a June 12 press release.
Charged are Brampton resident Moses Newton Larmond, 20, Toronto resident Troy Boca Peart, 20, and Mississauga resident Nana-Yaw Kwarten, 22, who is also facing breach of probation charges.
A 16-year-old boy from Pickering has also been charged in the attempted theft, but cannot be named under provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Police said he was out on bail for multiple outstanding charges at the time of the incident.
The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be laid, police said.
Police Chief Jim MacSween addressed the bail and probation breaches in the press release.
Other Cases
Car thefts, carjackings, and home invasions have become more common in the Greater Toronto Area in recent years, but charges have rarely been laid against individuals seeking to protect their property from theft.While the circumstances in the Vaughan case appear to be unique, there have been cases in the past in which Canadian homeowners faced criminal charges for using firearms to shoot at intruders.
The charges were dropped six months later after Maurice had made several court appearances, which were heavily attended by community members who had rallied around him in support.
Another case occurred in Ontario a year later.
His charges were reduced to manslaughter a few months later and were dropped in late 2020.
While York Regional Police has opted to lay charges against the Vaughn man who attempted to thwart the vehicle theft, Dickson said it will be up to the justice system to determine if any of these charges should stick.
“In a case like this, it has been determined that a firearm was not the appropriate [response],” he said. “But proportionality and reasonability is entirely determined by the courts.”
