Detective Sergeant Brandon Price of the Toronto Police Service’s Homicide and Missing Persons Unit provided a significant update today regarding the investigation into the 2023 homicide of Joshua Bernard-Reis, a 21-year-old from Toronto.
On September 24, 2023, at approximately 11:17 p.m., police responded to reports of a shooting in the Morningside Avenue and Danzig Street area. Upon arrival, they found Bernard-Reis suffering from gunshot wounds.
He was transported to a hospital but tragically succumbed to his injuries on October 8, 2023, leading to a homicide investigation. In the months following the incident, police arrested Jermaine Goode, 19, of Markham, on November 6, 2023, charging him with first-degree murder.
Additionally, a male youth, aged 16, was charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder in January 2024. Due to legal restrictions under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the youth’s identity cannot be disclosed. The investigation continued to unfold as two more arrests were announced Thursday.
On December 30, 2024, Tyler Brown, 21, of Toronto, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder. An 18-year-old man from Brampton was also arrested on the same day.
He was a young person at the time of the shooting and is similarly protected from identification under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Both new suspects were scheduled to appear in court on December 31, 2024. Detective Sergeant Price emphasised that with these arrests, police believe they have apprehended all four individuals involved in the shooting.
The motive behind this violent act remains unclear. Price noted that Bernard-Reis had no known criminal associations and was not connected to gang activity.
The shooting occurred as he parked his car in his driveway after helping a family member move. Four suspects allegedly opened fire from across the street before fleeing in a stolen vehicle.