Three suspects have been arrested in connection with a botched robbery at a Brampton pizza place that left a 24-year-old employee suffering from what police describe as “life-altering” injuries.
The incident occurred at a Domino’s Pizza location on Wexford Road at around 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 13.
Police allege that two suspects, at least one of them armed with a handgun, entered the establishment and made a demand for money. An employee of the store was then shot during the course of the robbery as was one of the assailants.
Following the incident, police say the suspects fled into an awaiting vehicle driven by a getaway driver. The victim, meanwhile, was taken to hospital in life-threatening condition.
Police have not revealed whether the victim and assailant were shot during a struggle for the gun; however they have said that only one shot was fired in the pizza place.
“This was a vicious, cowardly and unnecessary attack,” Det. Sgt. Donny Ross told reporters at a news conference Monday morning. “A young student was working, just trying to put himself through school and he was shot, nearly died and is now suffering from life altering injuries.”
Suspects facing charges in connection with other robberies
Ross told reporters that one of the suspects in the robbery, a 17-year-old male, was arrested in the early morning hours of Aug. 14 after he showed up at a Toronto-area hospital with a minor gunshot wound.
A second suspect, also a 17-year-old male, was then arrested on Aug. 16.
Finally, on Sept. 14 police arrested a third suspect, who they believe acted as the getaway driver for the robbery. That suspect was arrested as he left a convenience store that was located in the same Wexford Road plaza as the Domino’s.
According to Ross, police believe that the suspects are responsible for a total of five other armed robberies that were committed in Toronto and Peel Region over the three days leading up to the Domino’s incident.
One of those robberies took place at a Hasty Market in Brampton while another took place at a pizza place in Toronto. The three remaining robberies were street hold-ups that took place in Toronto.
Ross said that police are confident that nobody else was involved in any of the robberies.
“We have arrested the three people we believe to be responsible,” he said.
Victim has ‘long fight ahead of him’
While the victim in the shooting remains in hospital, his condition has been upgraded to serious but stable.
Nonetheless, Ross said the man’s life will likely never be the same.
Prior to the shooting, the victim was going into his fourth year of university.
“It was touch and go whether or not this man was going to survive or not for a long time. He is pulling through but the injuries are substantial and they are life-altering,” Ross said, noting that some form of paralysis is likely. “He is going to have a long fight ahead of him.”
Ross said that the suspects are charged with attempted murder as well as a number of firearm and robbery-related charges.
A full list of charges has not yet been released.
