Premier Ford reacted to the Vaughan homeowner who fired shots at a group of intruders on Tuesday. Ford emphasizes he was a legal gunowner protecting himself.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is congratulating a Vaughan resident who shot an intruder, saying he should have fired more shots at him.
“As for the person that was defending his family, he was a legal gun owner, stored properly — congratulations. Yeah, I’m glad you shot the guy. Teach the rest of these robbers,” Ford said at an unrelated news conference Wednesday when asked about the incident.
He added, “These guys, they need to be shot, as far as I’m concerned. They’re coming through the front door to hurt your family.”
York Regional Police (YRP) said Tuesday they were called to a home in Vaughan after multiple shots were fired around 12:50 a.m. Surveillance video released by YRP shows three suspects, at least one of them armed with a gun, forcing their way into the home.
According to police, an occupant of the home used a legally owned and stored firearm to shoot at the home invaders, who were seen on video scurrying out of the house. Police said one of them was dropped off at a GTA hospital with a gunshot wound a short time later.
Police said they are not laying charges against the resident.
“Congratulations for shooting this guy; should have shot him a couple more times, as far as I’m concerned,” Ford added.
He said “ruthless” criminals who break into homes, willing to hurt family members, “need to rot in jail for the rest of their lives,” and bemoaned the fact the justice system sometimes shows them leniency.
“We have some great judges, but we have some really weak-kneed judges letting these criminals out on bail, not once, not twice, four or five times. ‘Okay, Johnny, go out and break into the next house.’ They’re violent criminals, and we’re going to hold them to account.”
In a statement on X, Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca said the incident shows the bail system is “broken” in Canada.
“No one should ever be put in that position, and I am thankful that the homeowner has not been charged, as this was an act of self-defence,” Del Duca wrote.
He called for “urgent” bail reform from the federal government.
YRP lay charges
Ford’s comments came as police released new details about the suspect who was shot.
In a news release Wednesday, police identified him as 24-year-old Trestin Cassanova-Alman, of no fixed address, and said he remains in custody in hospital, in stable condition.
Investigators have charged him with robbery with a firearm and disguise with intent in relation to the home invasion. He has also been charged with breach of probation as he was on an outstanding probation order for unrelated offences at the time of his arrest.
YRP also said he was known to police and was wanted by multiple agencies for numerous violent offences. In December 2025, investigators identified him as wanted in relation to Project Wrangler, an operation to dismantle a violent criminal group operating in Ontario and Quebec.
Three other suspects remain outstanding in connection with the home invasion.
Police said the investigation is ongoing.
Suspects A screengrab from a security video released by York Regional Police shows a suspect wanted in a break-in in Vaughan.
