r/canadaguns • u/Hmfic_48 • 29d ago
News / Politics / Activism Scarborough resident charged after firing gun during attempted car theft
https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/08/19/scarborough-resident-charged-firing-gun-vehicle-theft-toronto-police/72
u/Clover_Lawn_4440 29d ago
That gun owner need to practice more.
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u/mwmwmwmwmmdw 29d ago
theres never going to be a perfect self defence situation. there will always be something for legal owners to monday morning quarterback and nitpick.
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u/thxxx1337 29d ago
I'm glad that poor unsuspecting car thief got away safely!
Always leave your car keys under the door mat people!
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u/violent-trashpanda 29d ago
You mean leave your front door unlocked and have the keys hanging for those hospitable thieves to help you have your car taken for better use
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u/Disastrous-Panic-87 29d ago
Another victim being charged and prossecuted while the criminal remains free to do whatever he likes.
Nice system.
Maybe if people didn't try to steal from others or didn't try to harm others, people would not have to defend their lives or their hardly earned properties...
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u/Hopeful_Relation_441 29d ago
we dont know the details.... i also heard this was an illegal firearm
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u/Lumindan 29d ago
Source?
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u/Disastrous-Panic-87 29d ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/canadaguns/s/DzGKwORtGK
How much do you guys bet that this citizen defending his property (if he's a legal owner) will still get more time then the one I linked....
🙃 Upside down system
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u/stephenhoskins32 28d ago
I bet he won't serve any jail time. But he will have a costly legal battle
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29d ago
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u/Curious_Joe2020 29d ago
Your first scenario is worse. There was no grounds for shooting at anyone. There was no self-defence here.
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29d ago
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u/Curious_Joe2020 29d ago
He left his house to confront thieves with a firearm engaged in stealing his car from the driveway. There is no scenario where a firearm can be used in this context that's self-defense. And he fired it. He should not have confronted them or left his house. You are not allowed to do any of that with a firearm let alone shoot it. No self-defense at play here. He pursued the suspects and fired a warning shot or missed?
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u/KalashnikovParty 29d ago
So tired of this. We follow all the rules, respect the law, and are extremely careful and we get branded as monsters by the government while pieces of shit like this get away with crime in broad daylight
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u/bassick81 29d ago
This happened in the middle of the night not broad day and the gun owner definitely did not follow all the rules or respect the law. Weird way to insert yourself as the victim here
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u/rofl3030 29d ago
I am on the fence with this, I respect using firearms to defend your home. But shooting into your neighbours house is endangering other people. But hey I get it. It’s not like he had a backstop to shoot into.
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u/Anonymous_Arthur00 29d ago edited 29d ago
i am of the same opinion, yes the laws suck but they are currently THE law
Missing and hitting your neighbors house with gunfire is just straight up reckless and irresponsible if your life wasn't at risk especially if it was just your car getting broken into
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u/Curious_Joe2020 29d ago
He wasn't defending his home. His car was on the driveway. It's not self-defence. You can't use firearms to defend property only people.
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u/Longjumping_Rain_483 29d ago
A nearby home sustained gunshot damage? He/she might deserve that charge ngl.
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u/Top_Importance6216 29d ago
Make the guy financially liable for the damages. anything other than that is just a vindictive miscarriage of justice.
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u/hafetysazard 29d ago
Criminal charge? I don’t think it is warranted. Maybe some financial liability for damages. Even though he fired the gun, it isn’t any fault of his that he was forced to shoot.
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u/dsac 29d ago
he was forced to shoot.
Forced isn't exactly the right word, unless he was defending himself
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u/hafetysazard 29d ago
What other reason is there?
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u/dsac 29d ago
That's the point - none of us know the circumstances beyond "he confronted attempted car thieves with a gun and discharged it, hitting a neighbour's house"
Considering some of the posts we see on here showing absolute mayonnaise-brained gun owners, it's equally as likely he thought he was justified popping off at them at 30ft while holding his gun sideways like a Crip in a 1990s hood movie.
So you saying criminal charges aren't warranted, and that he was forced to shoot, is imagining a scenario without any supporting evidence.
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u/Anonymous_Arthur00 29d ago edited 29d ago
Yes actually it was his fault, he shot to protect his property not his life so its not self defense and the current laws mandate a proportionate response when it comes to protecting your property.
yes i think the current laws suck, yes i own guns and i do believe we should have some form of Castle doctrine in regards to self defence but either leaving your house to confront someone outside and/or firing from your house and damaging a neighbors house with gunfire is not only negligent but reckless and irresponsible.
Actions have Consequences
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u/hafetysazard 29d ago
How can you blame a person who was forced to take an action to protect themselves?
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u/Anonymous_Arthur00 29d ago
Protect themselves?
as per the article he shot at people breaking into his vehicle in his driveway which implies he either left his house to confront them with a gun or shot at them from inside his home.
that's not self defense to me, Regardless I'm not trying to villainize the guy but he still shot at someone, apparently missed and hit another house, at that point he's still a reckless idiot for that until there's any real proof he was in danger and was justified.
Would like to clarify again that i am absolutely for using firearms in self defense and do think the laws around that need to change here.
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u/hafetysazard 28d ago
If they attacked him after he confronted them, then it still could be. It doesn’t imply carelessness or recklessness. If he fired a shot just to scare them away, different story. However he was already being victimized by thieves, and it isn’t a big stretch to believe he was also under some physical threat; especially when bold thieves these days are known to carry weapons.
The whole mindset that you, as a victim, have to act perfectly reasonable with all your actions and assumptions, even through an examination afterwards with the benefit of hindsight, when you’re being forced into a unreasonable circumstance by somebody who is behaving unreasonable, has to stop.
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u/thxxx1337 29d ago
Illegally hunting coyotes in suburban Ottawa with a crossbow: slap on the wrist
Fires a shot at a car thief in suburban Toronto: throw the book at him.
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u/mwmwmwmwmmdw 29d ago
ITT: all the "pro gun rights" people doing herculean gymnastics to say why the victim here is wrong and why they themselves act with perfect legal and moral clarity when faced with any adverse situation.
as always happens when stories like this are posted
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u/Evening_Incident_683 29d ago
This guy is just plain stupid. Let them steal your car, thats what insurance is for. He put his life and his neighbours life at risk for coming out of his house and discharging a firearm. What if the criminals were armed and fired back? What if you shot through your neighbours window and killed their kid?
People need to realize that having a gun doesn’t make you invincible and that there are moments where you need to use your brain.
It would be different if the criminals were breaking into your house. But for you to put yourself and neighbours in harms way is ridiculous.
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u/last_to_know 28d ago
“Just let them steal from you”
Why are some people like this and are they worse for society than the criminals they enable?
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u/Evening_Incident_683 28d ago
Haha go be a hero then, buddy
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u/last_to_know 27d ago
Protecting your home and family makes you a hero? Ok then
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u/Evening_Incident_683 27d ago
Going out and shooting at a car thats already leaving does. They weren’t in his home. If anything, coming out puts everyone at even more risk.
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u/last_to_know 25d ago
Ok what’s your address I’m coming by for your vehicle and if you try to do anything to stop me you’re an idiot I guess.
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u/Dartmouth-Hermit 28d ago
Because a car theft, while harmful, is less so than shooting someone. You don't get to shoot someone for trying to steal your stuff. This isn't the Old West.
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u/last_to_know 27d ago
Really? You don’t get to shoot someone for stealing? Walk into a police station and steal a gun then. Walk onto a military base and steal something. 😂
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u/Dartmouth-Hermit 27d ago
I'm confident in both cases they could stop me without needing to shoot me. In what legal system would it make sense to permit a murder to prevent larceny. None. Think through what would happen.
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u/last_to_know 25d ago
Death for stealing is default punishment. We can only afford to be more lenient because of resources nowadays. If you’re a medieval farmer and someone steals from you, it’s a death sentence. You’ll starve to death.
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u/Dartmouth-Hermit 25d ago
Nah, the parish or your feudal lord would help the farmer. Farmers are valuable and can pay you back from future harvests.
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u/last_to_know 23d ago
The parish or feudal lord would hang the thief. Farmers ARE valuable to society. Thieves are not.
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u/BackgroundSky7478 28d ago
Many more details here in TV story. Registered gun owner charged. House struck by at least three bullets. https://globalnews.ca/news/12027082/resident-charged-after-shooting-during-attempted-auto-theft-at-toronto-home/
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u/Afrocowboyi 24d ago
Police shoot people in the back as they're running away all the time under the guise of fearing for their life...
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29d ago
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u/bigT689 29d ago
Nah, rules should be changed to let civilians defend our safety and property
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u/SeeminglyUseless 29d ago
Valuing property over human life is the problem most people are going to have with your position.
Personally I think if someone is engaging in violent crime (like, say, an armed robbery), then using lethal force is morally justified if you're unable to flee.
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u/bigT689 29d ago
I value my belongings more than a criminals life, yes
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u/SeeminglyUseless 29d ago
Ah so being a criminal means you don't have human rights, got it.
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u/Airplaneondvd 29d ago
I look at it like. I’m not deciding my stuff is worth their life. They decided that.
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u/SeeminglyUseless 29d ago
Yeah I get it too. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes and all that.
I don't think criminals deserve to die, though.
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u/Airplaneondvd 29d ago
Well I live an hour outside Whitehorse and my closest neighbours are a km down the highway, so honestly we would t even get to the part where I figure out you’re just after my stuff
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u/bigT689 29d ago
👍🏼
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u/SeeminglyUseless 29d ago
So when the amnesty finishes and you become a criminal, where do you stand on the value of your own life?
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u/Airplaneondvd 29d ago
You don’t think there’s a difference between not surrendering legally purchased property, and invading someone’s home?
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u/SeeminglyUseless 29d ago
There's a huge difference, but that's kind of the point. Making sweeping judgements like "I value my stuff more than a criminal's life" is problematic when the state can make you a criminal with a pen stroke.
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u/Airplaneondvd 29d ago
There’s no way you thought that through, it’s too ridiculous.
“The government changes laws everyday so you shouldn’t be able to stop home invaders” that’s what you just said
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u/LimpComparison4906 29d ago
It does in many places. I don’t see the issue. Don’t be a criminal. Don’t let the government enact unjust laws. 2 birds 1 stone
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u/cartman101 29d ago
Do you leave your keys under your doormat to make it safer for the criminal to steal your car?
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u/Black_Raven__ 29d ago
Belongings are things you bought with time you spent working hard. So Belongings = your Time = part of your life. And should be respected and treated as such.
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u/steeleclipse2 29d ago
"...a resident of the home fired a gun during the encounter. The suspects fled before officers arrived."
Soooooo, it worked, right? Fucking Canada.