York police charge four in violent kidnapping, shooting

Four people face charges after a violent kidnapping and home invasion in Markham that left one man shot and a woman abducted, York Regional Police say.

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Four people face charges after a violent kidnapping and home invasion in Markham that left one man shot and a woman abducted, York Regional Police say.

Investigators say the incident began around 8 a.m. on Sept. 1 when a 29-year-old woman was forced off the road near McCowan Road and Highway 407.

In a Thursday media release, York Regional Police allege two suspect vehicles intentionally struck her car, prompting her to pull over. An older-model grey Dodge Caravan then pulled alongside, and the woman was forced into the van, restrained and driven away.

Roughly an hour later, multiple suspects allegedly broke into a nearby home near McCowan Road and 14th Avenue, where the kidnapped woman also lived. Police said the intruders told the family their relative had been taken and, during the confrontation, a 54-year-old man was shot.

Officers quickly responded and arrested four suspects as they tried to flee. A loaded firearm and a stolen vehicle were recovered at the scene.

The abducted woman was later found in Toronto with minor injuries; her vehicle was located nearby. Investigators say more suspects may still be outstanding in connection with both the kidnapping and the home invasion.

Twenty-one-year-old Shakir Bhatti of Ajax, 20-year-old Parkaran Panglia of Brampton, as well as a 16-year-old from Caledon and a 17-year-old from Toronto are charged. The youths cannot be named by police under provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

All four suspects face multiple counts, including attempted murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, robbery with a firearm, disguise with intent, and possession of stolen property over $5,000.

Police said the 16-year-old was already under a release order for unrelated offences at the time of the incident. Bhatti was released on bail on Sept. 3.