What to know
- Premier Doug Ford praised a Vaughan occupant who fired shots at three intruders during a home invasion earlier this week.
- York Regional Police confirmed the occupant, a legal gun owner, discharged a firearm; no charges have been laid.
- Ford criticized judicial decisions, the federal government’s gun regulations, and called for tougher measures against violent criminals.
- One suspect remains in police custody after being hospitalized with a gunshot wound.
Premier Doug Ford is defending a Vaughan resident who fired shots at three men who broke into a home earlier this week, encouraging other legal gun owners to act similarly if faced with danger.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Ford was asked about the incident, and he praised the homeowner’s actions.
“Congratulations, I’m glad you shot the guy,” Ford said. “I encourage everyone that’s a legal gun owner, [if] someone’s going to come in and try to kill you and kill your family… these guys, they need to be shot as far as I’m concerned.”
On Tuesday, York Regional Police released doorbell camera footage showing three men breaking into a home. The video then shows the men fleeing through the front door and leaving in a black pickup truck.
Police confirmed the occupant, a legal gun owner, fired shots at the suspects. No charges have been laid against the homeowner.
Ford said criminals like these need to “rot” in jail and once again praised the homeowner.
“Should have shot him a couple more times as far as I’m concerned,” he added.
The premier also criticized the federal government’s approach to firearms regulation.
“You’re spending so much time going after legal, law-abiding gun owners that safely store their guns, safely store their ammunition,” Ford said. “Why don’t you spend that hundreds of millions of dollars going after the bad guys?”
He went on to argue that criminals are given too much protection and criticized certain judicial decisions.
“They always want to protect the bad guys, the judges always want to protect the charter of rights, how about the charter of rights of the people? To keep them safe,” he said.
Ford’s comments come days after he called for stronger bail reforms, a point he reiterated on Wednesday.
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“We have some really weak-kneed judges that are letting these criminals out on bail, not one, not twice- four, five times,” he said. “They’re violent criminals and we’re going to hold them to account.”
York Regional Police confirmed that one of the suspects from Tuesday’s home invasion remains in custody after being taken to a Toronto-area hospital with a gunshot wound.
