York Regional Police released several videos on Thursday in connection with their investigation into organized crime and corruption that resulted in charges being laid against seven Toronto police officers as well as one retired constable.
Two of the videos showed parts of the incidents that occurred at a home in York Region, which happened over a 36-hour period in June 2025.
The home, police said, belonged to a corrections management officer who was the target of an alleged murder plot.
Corrections officer’s house targeted
In one video, taken on June 18, 2025, a blue car passes by the victim’s home and a masked man wearing a silver hoodie is seen walking outside soon after, peering through the windows.
Two days later, a suspect vehicle is driving by the victim’s home. Unknown to the three suspects inside the vehicle, they are surrounded by police.
“Let’s take him down right now,” an officer is heard on the radio. As police try to contain the suspect vehicle, it accelerates, leaving the road before veering onto the lawn of a house. The vehicle crashes into a police cruiser parked outside the victim’s home.
York Regional Police Deputy Chief Ryan Hogan revealed during Thursday’s news conference that the suspects were allegedly armed with a loaded handgun.
Hogan alleged Toronto police Const. Timothy Barnhardt accessed confidential information about the victim and passed it to Brian Da Costa.
- READ MORE: Here’s how a Toronto police officer allegedly participated in a plot to murder a corrections officer
“From there, it was released further into other criminal networks. We allege that Mr. Da Costa is a key figure in the criminal network operating within the Greater Toronto Area, with, in fact, significant international ties,” Hogan said.
Vaughan restaurant shot at
He noted the investigation uncovered serious criminal acts that occurred due to the release of confidential information.
“This includes extortion, commercial robberies, and seven shootings right here in York Region,” Hogan said.
One video shows someone firing shots into a restaurant in Vaughan on June 14, 2025.
“We allege that those shootings were, in part, facilitated by the release of confidential information from Const. Barnhardt to Mr. Da Costa and Mr. (Elwyn) Satanowsky,” Hogan said. Satanowsky is described as an alleged criminal associate of Da Costa.
More shootings across southern Ontario
The other videos released on Thursday showed shootings in Brampton, Vaughan, and London, Ont., between Aug. 18 and Sept. 10, 2025.
In the videos, one suspect is seen firing multiple shots towards residences and a commercial complex with an alleged affiliation to the tow industry.
While Satanowsky has an affiliation with the tow industry, Hogan would not say if any of the shootings were because of the ongoing tow truck violence in the region.
“I cannot speak to motive behind the shootings and whether the shootings themselves were a direct motive in the tow industry. In fact, some of the shootings that occurred right here in York Region, I’m confident in saying, did not have any connection to the tow industry,” Hogan said.
Police did not say if anyone was injured in the incidents.
Hogan revealed police later recovered a firearm linked to these shootings and arrested one suspect believed to be the shooter.
The gun originated in the United States and was unlawfully imported into Canada at some point, Hogan said.
He alleged the same gun and suspect are believed to be behind a total of eight shootings across southern Ontario.
“We continue to actively investigate this matter and have recovered a substantial amount of property. This includes driver’s licenses, health cards, passports and other personal property,” Hogan said.
In addition to the seven current and one retired Toronto police officers, 19 people have been charged, including Da Costa and Satanowsky.
