In the spring of 2022, a terrifying moment off the ice nearly overshadowed a crucial stretch in Mitch Marner’s season. The former Toronto Maple Leafs winger, who has, after much speculation, been traded to the Vegas Golden Knights, was the victim of an armed carjacking in Etobicoke that sent shockwaves through the hockey world.
More than a year later, the arrests of two suspects connected to the incident have provided a long-awaited sense of closure for Marner and some clarity to a disturbing period marked by a rise in violent vehicle thefts across the Greater Toronto Area.
2022 Incident of Armed Carjacking Involving Mitch Marner
The incident unfolded on the night of May 16, 2022, when Mitch Marner and a companion were sitting in his Range Rover outside a movie theatre near Islington Avenue and The Queensway. According to police, a black Honda Civic pulled up and blocked their vehicle from leaving. Two men, armed with handguns, exited the Civic and demanded the keys to the Land Rover.
A third suspect then stepped out of the Civic and escalated the threat by brandishing a knife, demanding a cell phone from one of the victims. Faced with multiple weapons and fearing for their safety, Marner and the other victim complied with the demands. The suspects sped away with the vehicle, leaving behind shaken victims but no physical injuries.
EXCLUSIVE: Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner victim of Etobicoke carjacking https://t.co/qwPswlRd1W pic.twitter.com/bqbdozpxhU
— Toronto Sun (@TheTorontoSun) May 17, 2022
While Toronto police never officially named Marner as the victim in public releases, the NHL star later confirmed his involvement in multiple media interviews. For months, he tried to put the incident behind him, even as the shocking nature of the carjacking stayed in the headlines due to a surge in violent auto thefts in the region.
That spring, Marner’s case was one of many. In the days following his robbery, three additional armed carjackings occurred across the city within a two-hour window. A week later, police reported six more overnight incidents, one of which involved a victim being pistol-whipped.
Speaking to reporters at a Leafs practice more than a year later, Marner said he had been contacted by a detective a few days earlier and informed that two suspects had been arrested. “It’s a great relief,” he said, acknowledging that while he had been trying to “forget about” the ordeal, the arrests provided him with much-needed closure.
Toronto police confirmed that 24-year-old Christon Arman Johnson of Brampton and 21-year-old Anas Adan Farah of Toronto were facing a total of nine charges related to the case. Both men were arrested in connection with the May 16 carjacking and a separate vehicle theft near The Queensway and The West Mall about a month later.
Although Marner’s stolen Range Rover was eventually recovered, investigators said they were still searching for the second stolen vehicle. As of a 2023 report, the third suspect involved in the May 16 carjacking remained large as of the latest updates. Police described this individual as “armed and dangerous” and urged the public to remain cautious.
Despite such hurdles, Marner continues to rise in his career on the ice. He was traded from the Maple Leafs to the Golden Knights on Monday. Just one day before the start of NHL free agency, he reportedly agreed to an eight-year, $96 million extension with the Golden Knights.
According to insider Elliotte Friedman, the move comes after the Maple Leafs’ disappointing playoff run and heavy criticism directed at Marner. The trade now gives the star winger a fresh opportunity in a market with less intense scrutiny.
