Manhunt under way after Toronto CEO and family violently attacked in home invasion

Police are searching for suspects after a Canadian real estate executive and his two daughters were shot, while his wife was attacked with a hammer, during an early morning home invasion in a wealthy Toronto neighbourhood.

Derek Morton, chief executive of the Mac Group, confirmed the attack in a statement, saying: "No family should ever have to experience this."

Morton said his family was reeling from "the trauma of experiencing something so horrific in the one place where everyone should feel safest: their own home".

The suspects demanded valuables before assaulting the family and fleeing in a car, Toronto Police said. Authorities have not released the identities of the suspects.

The home invasion took place in the Bridle Path, one of Canada's wealthiest neighbourhoods, whose residents have included music stars Drake and Celine Dion.

The area is known for its large mansions behind high walls and iron gates, with hired security often seen patrolling the area.

Police said the incident happened around 03:44 EST (07:00 GMT) on Thursday morning, when the suspects entered the property through a rear door.

The suspects then confronted the family and fired their guns multiple times, wounding the father and his two daughters, and hitting the wife on the head with a hammer.

"Three masked individuals forcibly entered our residence, armed with handguns and a hammer," Morton confirmed in a statement on Friday.

"During the attack, three members of our family were shot and are currently recovering in hospital. All four members of our family were also attacked with a hammer, leaving everyone injured and requiring emergency medical attention."

Morton did not name the family members, but media reports indicate that his two adult daughters Cristina and Maggie were shot, and his wife Doriana Zohil-Morton was struck in the head with a hammer.

Two of the victims remain in hospital, police said.

Police did not identify the victims, but listed their ages as 75, 64, 28 and 26. Police said the three suspects are believed to be men in their 20s.

The police believe the family was targeted solely because they lived in an affluent area.

“Typically, in an affluent neighbourhood comes nice things – and there’s always people out there that want to acquire nice things,” Inspector Kristy Smith of the Toronto Police Service told reporters.

Smith added that police do not yet know whether the suspects took anything from the home and are working to recover bullet casings that could help identify them.

Police figures show that home invasions are on the rise in Toronto, and some residents say they are taking steps to upgrade home security.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, who was recently elected to a second term, said she was "deeply troubled" by the home invasion.

"This attack has understandably shaken the neighbourhood and many residents across Toronto," Chow wrote on X. "This violence is not acceptable in our city. People must be safe in their own homes."

Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre called it a "horrific" incident in a separate post on X.

"These criminals must be apprehended and held accountable for their actions before the justice system," he said.

Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw said that Bridle Path residents should expect to see increased police patrols over the coming days.

"We also continue to make strategic decisions and dedicate additional resources to address this concerning trend of home invasions and to keep our communities safe," he said.