Toronto Teen Arrested for High-Stakes Poker Player Murder Following Dramatic Police Shootout

Toronto Teen Arrested for High-Stakes Poker Player Murder Following Dramatic Police Shootout

By Michael Thompson

November 20, 2024 at 07:06 PM

Toronto police have arrested and charged a 16-year-old with second-degree homicide in the death of high-stakes online poker player Matthew Bergart, following a massive shootout at a Toronto recording studio.

Man holding iPhone

Man holding iPhone

The arrest came during a "Wild West" shootout that resulted in 23 arrests. The teenage suspect, whose identity is protected due to being a minor, was among those apprehended during the incident.

Bergart, 30, was killed on April 25, 2024, during a targeted home invasion in Toronto's Etobicoke district. Three masked suspects broke into the house demanding valuables before fatally shooting Bergart multiple times. Police confirmed that Bergart was not the intended target of the robbery.

The arrest occurred during a dramatic confrontation at a recording studio where police were investigating an unrelated robbery. The incident escalated when three men from a stolen car opened fire at the studio, leading to an exchange of over 100 bullets. Remarkably, no injuries were reported.

Police arrested one suspect after a foot chase, while two others escaped. Twenty-one additional arrests were made inside the studio, with eight individuals ultimately charged with multiple firearms offenses.

Bergart was known in the poker community as a fearless high-stakes online player who competed against some of the world's best. Beyond poker, he was remembered as a talented musician who, according to a family-organized GoFundMe page, "dared to dream and create with a unique genius in both his music and his work."

Det. Sgt. Brandon Price noted the case highlighted how "a bad decision to do a break and enter" escalated into murder. Staff Sgt. Joe Matthews expressed concern about the young age of many suspects involved in serious criminal activity with high-powered firearms.

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