الرئيس الأولي لاونتاريو، دوج فورد، هنأ صاحب منزل قام بـ إطلاق النار وإصابة مُحتال مُزعم في فايون، أونتاريو، الأسبوع الماضي، قائلاً إن “المحتالين يجب أن يُطلق عليهم النار”.

“تهانينا على إطلاق النار على هذا الرجل – يجب أن أطلق عليه عدة مرات، على حد اعتقادي”، قال فورد، بعد أن طُلب منه التعليق على الحادث في مؤتمر صحفي غير ذي صلة يوم الأربعاء.

استمر فورد في تعليقه بهجوم على الحكومة الفيدرالية بسبب “محاولة استهداف أصحاب الأسلحة القانونيين والمسؤولين”، بالإضافة إلى “قضاة ضعفاء” يسمحون للإفراج عن الأشخاص بكفالة.

“إنهم دائمًا يريدون حماية المجرمين، والقضاة يريدون دائمًا حماية حقوق الميثاق – فماذا عن حقوق الميثاق الخاصة بالناس، لحمايتهم بدلاً من حماية هؤلاء المجرمين دائمًا”، قال فورد. “أنا ببساطة متعب من هذا”.

قادت النائبة الأولى في الحزب المعارض، ماريت ستايلز، وصفت تصريحات فورد بـ “الهراء غير المسؤول للغاية” عندما تحدثت إلى الصحفيين يوم الأربعاء.

“هذا الرئيس هو رئيس هذه المقاطعة منذ ثماني سنوات”، قالت. “إذا شعر الناس في أونتاريو بعدم الأمان اليوم، فإن ذلك يقع على عاتق رئيس هذه المقاطعة”.

أعاد زعيم حزب الخضراء، مايك شرينر، هذه المشاعر في بيان إلى CBC News.

“It is irresponsible for the Premier to be making comments encouraging violence or celebrating the loss of life,” he said. “He should focus on investing in measures that will make our province safer and empower first responders to do their jobs to serve and protect our communities.”

Video captures glimpse of incident

York Regional Police said earlier this week that no charges were being laid against the resident, who used a legally owned and properly stored gun during the incident.

A middle-aged man and an elderly woman were home at the time, police said, and no one living at home was injured.

According to investigators, officers responded just before 1 a.m. Tuesday to reports of a shooting at a home in the area of Carrville Woods Circle and Crimson Forest Drive, near Rutherford Road and Dufferin Street.

They say multiple suspects, allegedly armed with at least one firearm, forced their way into the home. The suspects were later seen getting into a black pickup truck and fleeing the scene.

Police released video of the incident on Tuesday that shows masked suspects entering and leaving the home. Rapid gunfire can be heard as they run from the home to the truck.

Investigators say they later determined the man who was shot had been dropped off at a Toronto-area hospital shortly after the incident.

Man facing multiple charges

In a news release issued Wednesday, police said a 24-year-old man of no fixed address is now facing charges of robbery with a firearm and disguise with intent.

He was also charged with breaching a probation order, as he was out on probation for unrelated offences at the time, police said.

The man is in stable condition in hospital in police custody, according to the news release.

Investigators say the accused is known to police and was wanted by multiple forces for “numerous violent offences.”

In a social media statement posted Wednesday, Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca said he was thankful the homeowner wasn’t charged, considering this was an act of self-defence.

“We have seen far too many of these incidents involving individuals who were already known to police and out on release orders, highlighting a deeply broken bail system that is failing our communities,” he said.