Dramatic Arrests Follow Violent Markham Home Invasion, Kidnapping, and Shooting

A terrifying home invasion in Markham, which saw a man shot and a woman kidnapped, culminated in a dramatic police pursuit and the arrest of four suspects, including two teenagers. The harrowing incident began in the early hours of Friday morning, shaking a quiet residential neighbourhood and prompting a swift, multi-agency police response.

According to York Regional Police, the ordeal unfolded around 3:30 a.m.

when four individuals forced their way into a home located on Fincham Avenue, near Middlefield Road and Steeles Avenue East. Once inside, the suspects confronted the unsuspecting occupants. During the violent encounter, a 61-year-old man was shot. Compounding the horror, a 59-year-old woman was then forcibly removed from the residence and taken away in a vehicle.

Emergency services were alerted, and police quickly responded to the scene.

Investigators, working rapidly, were able to locate the suspect vehicle in Toronto. What followed was a tense and high-stakes pursuit across the city, as officers from various units tracked the vehicle involved in the kidnapping.

The chase concluded in the area of Keele Street and Sheppard Avenue West when the suspects abandoned the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot.

Officers, however, were quick to act, converging on the area and successfully apprehending all four individuals involved. Crucially, the kidnapped 59-year-old woman was found unharmed, bringing immense relief to authorities and her family. The 61-year-old man, who sustained a gunshot wound during the home invasion, was transported to hospital and is reported to be in stable condition, recovering from his injuries.

York Regional Police have identified two of the adult suspects as 22-year-old Koomahan Shanmuganathan and 21-year-old Thamilvanan Balakrishnan.

The other two suspects are male youths, aged 16 and 17, whose names cannot be released under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. All four individuals face a litany of serious charges that underscore the gravity of their alleged actions.

The charges include conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, kidnapping, forcible confinement, aggravated assault, robbery with a firearm, breaking and entering, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized, discharging a firearm with intent, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

This comprehensive list of charges reflects the violent and premeditated nature of the crime, and authorities continue their investigation into the full circumstances surrounding this shocking incident that brought an unsettling wave of violence to a Markham community.